


Boulevard Of Broken Dreams

by Too_Much_Fandom



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Support Animals, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Harassment, Heavy Angst, Overprotective Theseus Scamander, Period Typical Attitudes, Period-Typical Sexism, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Newt Scamander, Rape, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Self-Harm, Stalking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-10-08
Packaged: 2020-10-20 19:02:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 12
Words: 35,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20680376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Too_Much_Fandom/pseuds/Too_Much_Fandom
Summary: Tina struggles to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of a deeply traumatic event.





	1. I Walk This Empty Street

**Author's Note:**

> FINAL WARNING  
HEED THE TAGS
> 
> This is gonna be a rough ride. We hit the ground running right in the first chapter, and it's going to get a lot worse before it gets better (though there IS an eventual happy ending). 
> 
> Yes, titled after the Green Day song and each chapter will be titled with a line from the song. 
> 
> I apologize in advance for doing this to our dear Tina. I love her so much, and it killed me to put her through this, but, I felt this was an important story to write. I humbly hope I did it justice.
> 
> Lastly, thank you @Kemara for being an amazing beta, I couldn't have done it without you!!

The first rays of sunlight were making their way over the East River, though Tina, heading in the direction of the Hudson, did not see them, as they were at her back. The streets of Manhattan were beginning to wake, not that they ever really slept, and the familiar early morning noises of tinkling milk bottles and thudding newspaper deliveries and the smell of fresh baked goods, ready for breakfast, filled Tina's already overwhelmed senses as she staggered through the mostly empty streets, just trying to get home. 

She could have apparated. Battered, bruised, and sore though she was, she knew it was safe to apparate. But she needed air. She needed time to think, before coming home to have Queenie fussing all over her. Which was sure to happen, especially since they'd had yet another screaming match yesterday. One look at Tina, and that would all be forgotten. Tina yearned desperately for the embrace of her sister, so much so that she didn't even feel the slightest hint of schadenfreude in knowing that Queenie was certain to be wracked with guilt the moment she saw Tina's physical state. However, as much as she longed for the safety of her sister's arms, she also needed some space. She needed to breathe, to think. 

How? How had this happened? How had she let this happen? Tina kept asking herself, as she staggered painfully with each step. She carried her leather auror coat draped over her arm, even though her clothes were dirty and torn and the coat could have at least covered her disheveled state. She didn't care. She was too numb, and too busy trying to replay everything. 

No matter how hard she thought, and tried to piece together the last who knows how many hours, she couldn't. Not beyond a sense of darkness so heavy she couldn't move her limbs, and the ghostly feel of hands, hands and maybe other things, she wasn't sure what, all over her body, rough and cruel and everywhere they shouldn't be… 

She had awoken, less than a half hour ago, with a pounding headache and bruised body. The worst of the pain was between her legs. She did not recognize the room or the bed she was in, but felt a sick jolt to her stomach when she recognized the sleeping form next to her as her recent ex, Achilles Tolliver. It was then that she noticed she was naked. Realization slowly dawned on her as the area between her legs continued to ache and burn. But she still had no recollection of anything. This whole scenario made no sense. In fact, just two days before, Tina had ended things with Achilles, precisely because he wanted more, much more from her than she was willing to give. 

She had lain there for a few minutes, staring numbly at the ceiling and listening to Achilles' breathing. She finally decided he was sleeping deeply enough that she could slide out of bed and get out of the apartment without waking him. Ever so slowly and quietly, she slid out from under the sheets and softly padded toward the pile of clothes on the floor that she recognized as hers. Her wand was tangled up in the pile. She bit her lip as she caught sight of the dried blood and--Mercy Lewis, she didn't want to think about what was likely mixed with it--on her thighs. She noticed her clothes were ripped. She decided against repairing her clothes or cleaning herself up. She had to focus on getting out of here. She quickly dressed and holstered her wand, and crept out of the room. Achilles slept on. She opened the front door as little as possible and slid out, silently padding down the stairs. She gulped the early morning air as she stepped outside. Free. She could go home now. She made the decision to walk. It hurt, but she needed to breathe, to think. 

She kept feeling those cruel ghostly hands abusing her body, but saw nothing in her memory. Her last clear memory had been leaving MACUSA after lunch. She was given the afternoon off because today she was supposed to be traveling to Paris on a mission. She'd been given yesterday afternoon off to get packed and ready to leave today. So why wasn't she home? How had she ended up not just in Achilles apartment but in his bed?! _Think, Goldstein, think!_ She rubbed her temples trying to piece together the previous afternoon. 

_"Do you think after you get back…?" _

_The question hung in the air between them. Just yesterday, she'd told him she didn't see a future for them, that they were looking for different things, that it wasn't working. While he hadn't freaked out or anything, he hadn't taken it well either, and spent most of today asking if it was just a break in advance of her upcoming trip or a real breakup. _

_"I already told you, Achilles, I don't want to go out anymore," Tina sighed, "we can still be friends and all, it's just, I don't see a future for us." _

_"Can I at least treat you to lunch, before you leave? As a friend?" he smiled wistfully. _

_"I don't think that's the best idea. I'm sorry. I know you're hurting, and I wish it could have been different," Tina shook her head sympathetically, "but I just, I really need some space right now."_

_Achilles shrugged sadly. Tina thought she caught the barest hint of a scowl, but it was gone so quickly she couldn't be sure of it at all as he turned around and shuffled back to his desk. _

_It was a busy day, and seeing as it was only a half day for her, she ended up taking lunch at her desk. A hot dog and a coffee. The coffee lingered a bit past the hot dog. Tina was back and forth between her desk and various other offices, tying up loose ends in advance of her extended leave. Finally, at 2 pm, she gulped down the last of her coffee and started packing up to head home. _

_A wave of dizziness passed over her. She sat down for a moment, closed her eyes, took a few deep breaths. She opened her eyes. She was still a bit dizzy, but she had to get going. Maybe she'd take a little power nap before packing. She headed for the door. She felt a bit unsteady. All the more reason to get out and apparate home. _

_"Whoa, there," Achilles caught up with her as she exited the building, "you alright? Maybe I should escort you home."_

_Tina wanted to say she was fine, it was OK, he didn't need to. But she was really feeling weird. "OK, thanks," she agreed, "but Queenie should be there when I get back, so no need to hang around."_

_Achilles wordlessly took her by the arm and apparated them home. Except, Tina noticed she wasn't home. "Um, Achilles? This is your place. Why-" _

_He cut her off with a rough kiss. "I can't bear to be without you Tina," he pleaded, "please, give me another chance…" _

_"No, I already told you," she pulled away, now very irritated, "it's over. I don't want to be together anymore."_

_She started heading for the door, but the room around her was lurching wildly. "Look at you!" Achilles burst out, "you can barely walk in a straight line, stay here, at least till it passes," he escorted Tina to his couch. _

_"Let's talk about us a little more, before you make a final decision," he placed a hand on Tina's thigh. _

_Tina wrenched her thigh out of his grip and edged away from him, "I already told you my decision. Please stop. I don't want to talk anymore and I don't want to be touched." _

_Achilles' face tensed at that. "Why, you frigid bitch!" he exclaimed, as he slapped her face hard enough to bruise. _

_Tina reached for her wand, but for some reason, she couldn't get her hand to go where she needed it to go. Achilles smirked as she flailed. The room was spinning ever more wildly. She rolled off the couch and tried to make a break for it, but she couldn't control her limbs properly. Achilles grabbed her roughly by the waist and dragged her to his room. _

_"Please… Sssstop...don'...don' want…" she was slurring now, pathetically flailing in an attempt to fight him off as he pinned her down. Her limbs seemed to grow heavier and heavier and she was helpless as he pulled her shirt and camisole off and roughly groped her breasts. Somehow, his face loomed clear over her, even as everything else spun completely out of focus. His leering face was the last thing she saw before the darkness pulled her under…_

This much, Tina had managed to piece together as she rounded the corner onto her street. So that was it. It must have been a potion of some sort. He could have easily slipped it into her coffee as it sat on her desk… Never mind for now. She was home. Queenie would make it better. And by this afternoon, she'd be thousands of miles away, where he couldn't touch her, couldn't hurt her. 

Tina stumbled into her apartment and collapsed onto the couch. "Queenie?" she called out. Yes, it was early, Queenie was likely sleeping, but Tina really needed her. "Queenie?" she called out again. She was met with silence. Slowly, wincing, she raised herself up off the couch and waddled over to the bedroom, only to find it empty. 

Of course. Queenie, coming home to an empty apartment last night, probably went to spend the night with Jacob. Or maybe never bothered to come home at all, after the fight they'd had in the morning. It didn't matter. Queenie wasn't here. Tina was completely alone. 

She sank to the floor and brought her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. And for the first time since waking up today and realizing that Achilles had taken advantage, had outright violated her, she began to cry. She rocked back and forth as her battered body was wracked with great, choking sobs. Never in her life had she felt so utterly alone. 

As if today couldn't get any worse, she noticed the green binding out of the corner of her eye. Great, that dreaded magazine. She cursed herself inwardly for not listening to Queenie. 

"Just throw it out Teen," she'd insisted again and again, in utter exasperation, "it's over, done with, nothing you can do. You're only torturing yourself keeping it around!" 

Tina knew her sister was right, and yet, she felt compelled to keep that issue of Spellbound. She couldn't bring herself to trash the article that had brought the world crashing down around her. Was it a sense of morbid fascination with the woman who had stolen Newt's heart? Or a desperate last hope that maybe it wasn't true, or maybe it wouldn't last? She never did quite figure out why she felt the need to hold on. 

And now it lay there, taunting her. Not only was that wonderfully eccentric, brilliant, handsome British wizard forever out of her reach, but even if he were to somehow become available to her, he couldn't possibly be interested now. How could he, sullied and defiled as she was? 

"Damn you, Newt!" she shrieked, chucking the magazine across the room, as a fresh wave of tears spilled out. 

Eventually, Tina seemed to run out of tears. She was leaving for Paris in a few hours, and dammit, she was going to buck up and do what she had to do. The first order of business was a bath. 

"Aguamenti," she whispered, pointing her wand at the bath, filling it with nice, hot water. She slid in, but instead of relaxing, methodically scrubbed herself from head to toe. She scrubbed herself nearly raw, especially between her legs, needing to just get the filth off her body, though she knew it was futile, and she never would… Tina then used her wand to heal the bruise on her cheek, not wanting anyone asking too many questions, but left the rest alone. No one else would see them and she didn't have time. She had to pack. 

Tina packed quickly, yet methodically. She periodically glanced at the door, waiting for Queenie. Surely, Queenie would at least remember that today was the day she was leaving for several weeks. Was Queenie really that mad that she wouldn't say goodbye? Tina ended up staying 10 minutes past when she had to leave for MACUSA, watching the minutes tick by, hoping desperately Queenie would show up… 

Finally, she just could not put it off any longer. So this was it. She was nothing but a distant friend to Newt, a whore for Achilles to have his way with, and now, her own sister didn't want anything to do with her. With a heavy, and shattered heart, Tina turned off the light, made sure the door was locked, and grasped her luggage tightly as she apparated to MACUSA. She was just in time for her scheduled departure, portkey, 11:07, to Paris. 


	2. Sometimes I Wish Someone Out There Will Find Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paris and the aftermath. Will Newt and Tina be able to clear things up between them?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a lot of sadness, but is not too intense. There is also some much needed fluff.

Those first few nights in Paris were hard. Tina was alone in her room, and slept uneasily, tormented by nightmares. She couldn't always remember the dreams, and they weren't always about recent events. Sometimes she saw things like the Death Potion rising up around her, or even her parents' greenish hue as they lay dying in quarantine. But each time she woke up gasping from whatever dream was plaguing her, she could still feel the ghost-hands on her, all over her…

Eventually she'd calm down enough to cry softly for awhile. She didn't want to disturb anyone else, after all. Tina never fell back asleep once awake. Initially, she'd write to Queenie. Queenie never wrote back, so Tina stopped after awhile. She threw herself into her work. It was the best distraction from everything. It didn't stop the nightmares, but if she was only going to be sleeping four or five hours a night anyway, she might as well at least go to sleep late so that she'd wake up when it was time to get ready for the day.

After several weeks came and went, she got what seemed like a big lead. She hesitated as the man seated across the café table offered to bring her to his hideout. Was she going to trust a strange man alone in his "hideout"? She didn't have a choice really, if she wanted to do her job right. She gripped her wand tight as she followed him…

Tina shuddered violently after she'd been divested of her wand and the barred door locked behind her. The man, Yusuf Kama, he'd said his name was, looked at her quizzically.

"It's only a precaution, I'm not going to hurt you, you know," he shrugged, although his tone was not particularly reassuring.Tina raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well," Kama continued, "I can't promise I won't eventually have to kill you, but, we'll see how it goes."

"Not that I want to die or anything," Tina replied to her abductor, "but there are other things… Things worse than death…" she hugged herself and stared at the floor.

Kama caught her meaning instantly, and shuddered with disgust. He was no saint, but after what had happened to his mother, there was one thing he was sure he would never ever do in his sorry life…

"I am a pureblood, and a gentleman!" he exclaimed harshly, "I am a wizard of honor! I would not do such a wretched thing. I can assure you," he changed to a more refined tone, almost kind, even, "I will not hurt you. Even if I have to kill you in the end, I will not hurt you in any way. On my word."

Strange as it was to take the word of a kidnapper and likely assassin, something in his tone and in his eyes told Tina that he was speaking the truth. While she couldn't relax, exactly, as he would not promise to spare her life, she eased a bit knowing at least he had promised to kill her with dignity. She wondered, as she fell asleep in her prison, if her captor would hear her cry out in her sleep…

She awoke with a jolt. Someone had walked in. She hastily scrambled up and then saw… No, it couldn't be… Was that…?

"Tina," he breathed.

"Newt," she whispered back in shock, then crossed her arms defensively over her pounding heart. Damn it, Newt, damn it! Her heart broke further just seeing him.

Then, she noticed Kama raising his wand. Too late…

"Expelliarmus!" and the gate slammed shut once more, "My apologies, Mr. Scamander! I shall return and release you when Credence is dead!"

"Kama, wait!" Tina yelled out in desperation. Kama shook his head, "you see, either he dies, or I do…"

Suddenly, he clapped a hand to his forehead. "No, no, no, no!" he yelped as he collapsed to the floor.

"Well, that's not the best start to a rescue attempt," Newt remarked dryly.

Tina, now both brokenhearted and extremely irritated, shot back, "This was a rescue attempt? You’ve just lost me my only lead!"

"Well, how was the interrogation going before we turned up?" he retorted.

This was like the beginning of New York all over again. Here they were, bickering, all progress lost. Not that it mattered, Tina thought miserably, he was unavailable anyway. She wondered for a moment what Jacob was doing here. Did that mean Queenie was in Paris too? Wait, then where was Queenie? Tina sighed. Didn't matter much until they got out of here…

A sudden familiar squeak, and a flash of green, and the barred door clicked open. "Well done, Pick," Newt congratulated his bowtruckle as the three of them rushed toward the unconscious Kama.

"You need this man, you say?" Newt looked over at her.

"Yeah. I think this man knows where Credence is, Mr. Scamander." She didn't look back at him long enough to see the wounded look on his face as she reverted to formalities.

A roar sounded above. "Well, that'll be the Zouwu," Newt shrugged. They looked at each other for a split second before apparating back up with Jacob and the unconscious Kama.

***************

Tina stood wearily by the lake at Hogwarts, trying to digest everything that had gone on these last 24 hours. Her sister. Her own sister… and they still hadn't seen each other or made up since their last fight in New York. It was too much. What was she going to do now?

And then there was Newt… Well, that was nice to know that he wasn't actually engaged. And he carried her picture… _her_ picture… Had they not been interrupted, she was sure he would have said something more. Would he have kissed her? Would she have even let him? She felt the slightest touch, that horrible touch she felt every night, the ghost-hands abusing her again and again…

No, she knew Newt was safe. And if she couldn't collapse into Queenie's embrace, she figured Newt's would be the next best thing, if he offered. She'd craved it for so long, if it was a possibility now… And then, she felt that dread in the pit of her stomach. She didn't deserve him. He couldn't possibly want her if he knew, couldn't love her worthless, defiled, ruined self…

She felt a light touch on her shoulder and started violently. Were the horrible ghost-hands now to follow her regularly in daytime too?

"It's alright, Tina, it's just me," a soft, warm voice told her. She turned around and found herself facing the sea-green eyes of the wizard she'd pined after for the last nine months. She could see the concern in them, concern for _her_…

"Can we- may we talk?" he asked, "and I can walk you around the grounds if you'd like," he added, smiling shyly and blushing, "it's very nice this time of year." He gallantly offered his arm. Tina hesitated for a moment, then took the plunge, linking arms with Newt. Nothing had ever felt more comfortable, more safe, more _right_ in a very long time. She smiled back at him as, arm in arm, he showed her around the Hogwarts campus.

"I-I would like to continue our interrupted conversation, if you don't mind," Newt looked over at her nervously, "I believe we left off on the fact that I am not, and never have been, engaged."

"Right," Tina looked away blushing, "and you said something about me being happy? Because I think I should let you know that, well, I'm not either…"

Newt straightened at that. "You mean you're not… I was told you were seeing… Are you saying you're not actually…" he rambled, all flustered.

_Mercy Lewis, who told him I was seeing someone? Never mind, may as well make it clear._

"No, I'm not," she said, clear as day, "I mean, I was, yeah, for a bit. I, well, I ended things before I left for Paris." She bit her lip, trying to force away the thoughts of the aftermath of that… No, she was not going to let that intrude on this moment.

Newt stopped walking suddenly and turned to face her, flashing her the most heart melting smile as he tenderly placed his hands on her shoulders. "Tina, I've been wanting to tell you for so long…" he brought his hand up to caress her cheek. She looked back up at him, getting lost in those oceans that were his eyes, as he got lost in her fiery salamander eyes.

"May I…?" he breathed, the question loaded in his eyes. Tina closed her eyes and nodded, and a split second later, his lips were on hers. She could feel the electricity coursing through her, and she melted into his arms, deepening the kiss.

The moment she'd been dreaming of was finally here, and it was every bit as wonderful as she'd imagined. His touch was was loving and tender, the exact opposite of the dreadful ghost-hands… The thought of the ghost-hands froze her blood. She didn't deserve this, didn't deserve him. She was ruined, she wanted so badly to stay forever in Newt's arms, but he deserved better, so much better than ruined, sullied Tina. She pulled back.

"Tina?" Newt questioned, "are you alright? Did you not want…?"

"No, it's fine, you have no idea how long I've wanted, well, this," Tina assured him, stroking his cheek as he held her close, "it's just, I-I-I… I need a little time alone," she mumbled, looking away.

Newt wasn't about to encroach on her space if that's what she wanted. His hands felt empty and lost as she backed away, but she smiled reassuringly at him, "I promise, Newt, it's not you… We can talk more about it later, I just… Can you let me know when it's time for us to go?"

"Of course I will, Tina," he nodded, "please, whatever you need, just-just know that I'm here." Tina nodded in acknowledgment and then leaned back against a tree, hugging her knees to her chest.

Newt walked away to leave her alone, just as she'd asked, but decided to keep an eye on her just in case. He stood at a distance, watching her, as she rocked herself, her body shuddering with heavy sobs. Oh, how desperately he wanted to run back and hold her tight! His heart was shattered into a million pieces seeing her in such pain. But she'd asked for space, so he was going to give it to her; it was understandable, after all, after what she'd just been through in the last day. He'd made it clear he was ready to be there if she wanted. Still, it absolutely broke him to watch her like this. Was there anything at all he could do right now?

As if on cue, a little snout poked out of one of his pockets… Oh, the niffler! "Listen," Newt stroked his niffler's black fur, "Tina's over there, our Tina. She's hurting quite badly. What do you say about going over there and looking after her? What do you say, old boy?"

The niffler nuzzled Newt, then leapt out of his arms and made a beeline for Tina. Newt watched as Tina looked up when the niffler nudged her. Tina took him into her arms and rested her cheek against his soft fur. Tears continued to stream down her face, but her body no longer shook with sobs. Newt was still heartbroken over Tina's obvious pain and heartbreak, but he felt some relief that she could have some small comfort. It was likely to be a long road ahead, but Newt was ready to catch her whenever she needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it seems a little fast that Newt and Tina are already together. I did try to show that Tina was wavering a bit, and ultimately decided that she is ready to start something with Newt. Even so, she still has times when she needs to be alone and untouched. There's obviously a huge contrast, because Newt respects that, so that in itself is going to go a long way towards building trust and making Tina feel comfortable (also, yay for emotional support nifflers!!) There's also a bit of a recurring theme that Tina feels a bit guilty for sometimes needing to be alone, because she knows logically that Newt is safe. 
> 
> Not surprisingly, it's going to be a long while before Tina feels ok with doing anything more than kissing and hugging. It will also be a long time before she tells Newt anything, so as far as Newt knows, she's suffering because of Paris. So keep in mind, he does and says things operating on that assumption, not knowing the real source of Tina's torment.


	3. My shadow's the only one that walks beside me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The weary crowd returns to Newt's flat for the night. Some heartfelt talks and some nightmares.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, very sad, but not particularly intense. And some good hurt/comfort.

Over a somber dinner at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade, it was decided that Nagini and Yusuf Kama were to stay at Hogwarts as Dumbledore's guests until a plan for them could be figured out. Newt, Tina, Theseus, and Jacob would return to London to stay at Newt's flat. Both Dumbledore and Newt laid down the law with Theseus that he was to stay with Newt indefinitely, rather than be alone in his own flat. 

The sleeping arrangements were worked out quite simply. Newt positively insisted that he was fine in the basement, that he often ended up sleeping there anyway. He then offered his actual room to Tina, and Theseus and Jacob were to share the guest room. 

Newt had the initial wild thought of staying with Tina for the night. He knew she was devastated by what had happened in Paris and was nervous about her being alone for the night. But of course, they'd only just begun this… Well, whatever "this" was between them. No, there was no way he could suggest such a thing. 

"Tina," he took her hands in his as he stood in the doorway to say goodnight, "please do not hesitate to come find me if you need…Well, anything, really." 

"Don't worry, Newt," she sighed, "I'll be fine…" she trailed off and looked away. She knew she wouldn't be. She had dreaded falling asleep every night for the last two months now. She wasn't about to let anyone in on that. 

Newt cupped her cheek tenderly and gazed straight into her eyes. "It's OK if you're not. You don't have to be fine, what just happened…" 

_If you only knew what really happened_… "I-I think I'll be fine," Tina amended, "but thank you. I'm glad to be here. With you." 

"Would you like some, um, company for tonight?" Newt blurted out. Tina stiffened for a moment, but Newt, after momentarily kicking himself for being so stupid, was quick to explain, "I mean, like a creature. I could send Dougal up here, or one of the Nifflers, or even Pickett, I'm sure he'd be willing if I explained-" 

Tina cut him off with a quick kiss, and smiled enough to show that dimple he absolutely adored. "I think I'd like to sleep on my own," she said bemusedly, "but I promise, if I feel lonely or anything, I'd be happy to have a creature or two come by."

Newt smiled fondly back at her and drew her in for a slow kiss. Tina responded with enthusiasm and relaxed into his arms. They touched their noses together after ending the kiss. 

"Goodnight, Tina," Newt whispered. 

"Goodnight, Newt," Tina whispered back. 

Newt turned around to go downstairs, while Tina slid into the bed, now ever so slightly less apprehensive about facing another night. 

Jacob and Theseus, meanwhile, were peering around the doorway of their own room, unbeknownst to the newly established couple. Jacob had the world's widest grin on his face. Theseus' mouth hung open in shock. Jacob tapped him on the shoulder and beckoned him into their room, mouthing silently, "let me explain."

"You…you knew about this?" Theseus sputtered as soon as their door closed behind them, then he sighed, "I suppose you anyway need to tell me how you know my brother, let alone know more about his life than I do, Mr. Kowalski."

"Jacob. Call me Jacob," Jacob put out a hand to shake, "I'm Newt's best buddy, you can call me by my first name too."

"Then call me Theseus," Theseus grinned back as he shook the affable American muggle's hand, "and now, do tell me what in Merlin's arse my brother is up to."

"Well, it all started in New York…" 

"I'm aware of the New York incident, no need to recount that," Theseus interrupted, "so you came out of that as friends?" 

"At first, I couldn't remember. I was obliviated," Jacob said quietly, "I didn't even recognize him when he gave me a case fulla silver to start my bakery…" 

"He did what?!" Theseus was amazed, though it was also very much like his brother to be incredibly generous with those he was loyal to. A Hufflepuff, through and through. 

"He gave me the collateral I needed to get the credit from the bank, to open my bakery," Jacob explained, "when we met, I was at the bank, hoping to get a loan. I was denied, and what followed was the absolute weirdest day of my life," Jacob grinned mischievously. 

"I can only imagine," Theseus shook his head, "but now for the real part. Miss Goldstein-" 

"Tina," Jacob corrected him, "I'm sure she'll want you to call her Tina by morning." 

"Yes, well, Tina," Theseus continued, "when on earth…?"

Now, Jacob smiled genuinely. As much as he was hurting over Queenie, he and Queenie had both wanted so badly for Newt and Tina to work things out and get together, so he couldn't help but feel happy for them. Let there be one happy thing going on in this balled up situation… 

"Don't get me started on them two," Jacob chuckled, "they bickered like an old married couple that entire first day. But then, something, some sort of understanding came between them, and by the end of the second day, it was clear to everyone except them that they were totally goofy for each other."

"Sounds like my brother, that oblivious prat," Theseus snorted. Then something dawned on him. "Newt was desperate to get back to New York, he applied for, and was denied, a travel permit five times. He wouldn't say why…" 

"Sounds about right," Jacob shrugged, "Tina was definitely the reason he wanted to go back. Although, there was that damn magazine…" 

"What magazine?" 

"You didn't know either?" Jacob asked. "Man, you guys really gotta follow the rags, 'specially if you're the type to get written up in them. Some tabloid said Newt was getting married…" not wanting to bring up Theseus' recent loss, Jacob left it at getting married and did not mention who the magazine reported Newt's fiancee to be. 

Theseus started chuckling at the idea, wondering who the press thought Newt was planning to marry, but Jacob stopped him. "Wasn't so funny for Tina when she read that," he said quietly. 

"No, I suppose it wouldn't have been," Theseus sighed, now feeling sorry for the young woman next door. 

"So, Teen was real heartbroken, and started seeing someone else, a Mr. Tolliver," Jacob continued, "and you know, Qu-her sister," he muttered quietly, unable to speak Queenie's name aloud at the moment, "her sister didn't like him much. Suspected him, she did, worried he wasn't gonna treat Teen right. The sisters fought. A lot. Over me too," Jacob sighed painfully. 

"Because of that bloody American law," Theseus finished for him. 

"Yeah. I know she didn't have nothin' against me," Jacob sighed wistfully, "she was just worried about her sister getting into trouble with the law. And she wasn't willing to hear what her sister had to say about her guy, and they just fought so much. I tried to help them work stuff out, but they never did, and now…" tears pricked at Jacob's eyes, thinking of what he and Tina had both just lost. 

Theseus was hurting badly from his own loss, but talking about Newt was a good distraction. "Do you know what happened with Mr. Tolliver?" 

"Not really, no," Jacob shrugged, "I mean, Tina wrote her sister some postcards from Paris, and she did say in the first one that she'd ended it before she left. I don't think she was too broken up about it. She wasn't that into him anyway."

"And it seems she and Newt have worked things out now," Theseus said quietly. 

"Yeah," said Jacob, "but I'm happy for them. Just because I'm miserable right now…" 

"Oh, I agree," Theseus replied, "let somebody be happy in all this. No one deserves it more than my brother, really. You know, he hasn't had many people care much for him. He deserves this. Le-she would have been thrilled to know." A tear silently slid down Theseus' cheek. 

"You're a good brother, you know," Jacob patted Theseus on the shoulder, "you remind me of-of my big brother."

"Oh, you have an older brother too?" 

"Had," Jacob corrected him sadly, "had. He was killed in the war."

Both men stared straight ahead at that, lost in their own painful memories. Then, Theseus patted Jacob consolingly. "I'm so sorry, Jacob," he said quietly. 

"Thanks, man," Jacob replied, then yawned a big yawn. "Perhaps we should get to sleep. I mean, best we can anyway."

Theseus didn't know how he could possibly ever sleep again. He wasn't sure how he could wake up in the morning either. Frankly, both the prospect of sleeping and the prospect of waking again filled him with utter dread. But, well, it was going to have to happen eventually. He already had been up for 36 hours straight, there was no avoiding it. 

"Goodnight Jacob," he said, kindly, "if you need anything, let me know, and I'll fetch my brother."

"Sure thing. And I suppose I would say the same for you," Jacob yawned once more, curling up under the covers of his bed. Sleep came quicker than either of them would have expected. 

Jacob woke with a start. He heard something, someone crying out. _Tina!_ He realized. Theseus heard her too and sat up in his bed. 

"You think we should go in there, try to help her or something?" Jacob asked timidly. 

"Newt's probably best for that, at this point, no?" Theseus replied. Jacob nodded in agreement. 

"Listen, Jacob, I'll go down and fetch Newt, you stay with Tina until I get him up here."

"Good idea," agreed Jacob, and he got up to shuffle over to Tina's room. 

_Blue flames were everywhere, they had just devoured Leta, and Newt had barely managed to drag Theseus away. Now it was Theseus' turn to drag Newt kicking and screaming as the flames surrounded Tina, ready to take her too. Newt struggled wildly against his brother's grip, "no, not Tina, get off me Thes, I need to go after Tina…" "Newt," was all his brother would say, again and again, gripping his shoulders and shaking him, "Newt…" _

"Newt! Wake up, Newt!" Newt opened his eyes and the blue flames were gone, and there was Theseus, gripping him tight, shaking him awake, "get up, Newt, it's Tina!" 

"Tina," he breathed, shaking off the horrible blue nightmare, right, the flames hadn't got her, she was alive, she was fine, she was… Wait. Theseus seemed alarmed. "Tina?" Newt repeated, this time reflecting his brother's alarm. 

"I think she's having a nightmare. She needs you," Theseus explained quickly. Newt sprang out of bed and bounded up the stairs. 

"You're welcome," Theseus called out as he followed Newt back up, "and don't think you're getting out of explaining what's going on between you two, first thing tomorrow!" 

The two brothers cautiously made their way to Newt's room. They could hear Jacob talking soothingly to Tina as she cried softly. When they walked in, the sight that greeted them was not at all what they were expecting. Jacob stood back about five feet from Tina, sporting a fresh black eye. Tina was on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest, crying. 

"I'm so sorry, Jacob," she sniffed, "just go, I'm better off alone, look what I did to you…" 

"Shh, you got nothing to apologize for, sweetheart," he assured her, "you was just a little confused is all, right when you woke up. Don't worry about it. Look, Tina, Newt's here. Do you want Newt to sit with you a bit?" 

Tina abruptly looked up and saw both Newt and Theseus standing in the doorway. Theseus looked away, not wanting to intrude on what was clearly a vulnerable moment for a fellow auror. Newt's heart broke all over again at the sight of her puffy eyes, tear-streaked face, and trembling body. 

"Tina," he spoke softly and approached her slowly, as though approaching a scared and skittish creature, "may I come over? May I sit with you?" Tina nodded with a sniffle. 

As Newt sat down beside her on the bed, he lightly, tentatively placed his arm around her shoulders. Tina scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder. Newt held her tighter and brought his other arm around her to envelop her completely. She tensed for a moment, then relaxed completely in his arms. She started crying again, burying her face in his shoulder. Newt just continued holding and caressing her, dropping soft kisses into her hair. "I've got you, Tina," he told her again and again between kisses, "I'm here, I've got you." 

Jacob and Theseus took this as their cue to leave. "Here, Jacob," Theseus beckoned as they left the couple to themselves, "let me fix that for you," he gestured to Jacob's black eye. 

Jacob perked up for a moment-- another cool thing wizards could do, apparently-- but said nothing as Theseus healed him with a quick wave of his wand. 

"Thanks, man," Jacob clapped him on the back. 

"It's nothing," Theseus assured him, "now let's get back to sleep so we can mercilessly tease my little brother in the morning." 

The two friends chortled at that for a moment. It was nice, with all the pain they both were going through, to have something to chuckle about, even if only for a moment. 

"Do you wish to talk about it?" Newt asked, still holding Tina and nuzzling her hair, "it's OK if you don't. I'm here, just let me know what I can do for you…" 

Tina looked up at him. She had stopped crying, though she knew her face must have looked a mess with all the telltale signs of a good cry. She brought her lips to Newt's, and he replied in equal measure. Kissing Newt just felt so warm and safe. 

After they broke apart, she looked at him, her eyes welling up again and threatening to spill over. "I don't deserve you, Newt," she whispered hoarsely, "I don't-" he cut her off with another kiss. 

"I'm afraid it is I who does not deserve you," he gripped her shoulders and gazed deep into the dark pools of her salamander eyes, "Tina, speak nothing of deserving. You deserve everything, and I'm only sorry that it is impossible for me to measure up and I can only do my best."

"Newt, you don't understand," Tina turned away, "you couldn't possibly want…" was she ready to say anything? Maybe she should, it was only fair to be honest with him… But she couldn't stand to lose Newt again, not after they'd finally found each other. Perhaps she could be a little selfish for a little longer… 

"Let us not talk of deserving or worthiness," Newt kissed her again, "it is enough that I want nothing more than to be with you, in case I have not been clear enough. If you'll have me…" 

"Yes, I'll have you," Tina assured him with a quavering voice as she kissed him back. 

"I can only hope that I can one day make myself worthy of the privilege," Newt sighed, peppering her face with kisses. 

"Hey, you just said no talk of the worthiness of deserving," Tina raised an eyebrow at Newt. 

"You are right my dear," he agreed, "so, we have each other, now, yes?" Tina nodded. "Then good. Let us do our best to make each other happy." They shared another kiss and held each other tight. With everything that was wrong right now, it felt good to have at least one thing that was right. 

Newt yawned. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Tina looked at him worriedly, "I'm sorry I woke you for this. You need to get back to sleep."

"Think nothing of it, my dear," Newt kissed her forehead, "I mean it when I say I've got you, Tina. You needed me, so I woke up and came. You should get back to sleep yourself."

Tina shook her head resolutely. "I-I can't," she muttered and looked away, "I can never go back to sleep after a nightmare."

Newt held her close. "Then I'll stay here with you."

"No," Tina insisted, "you shouldn't lose the rest of your night for me, please!"

"Why don't you come down to the basement with me?" Newt offered. "You know, perhaps being around the creatures would help."

Tina agreed and followed Newt down. Once down there, he quickly brewed up some tea, which Tina accepted without any jokes about Brits and their tea habit. Though, to be fair, she'd taken a liking to tea, as she couldn't bring herself to drink coffee anymore, not since… 

Newt showed her around the basement and his heart lightened considerably as he watched the tension slipping out of Tina's thin frame as she petted and nuzzled various creatures. 

He eventually brought her over to the kelpie lake, and they sat together on a bench, just looking out over the water. Tina sighed and rested her head on Newt's shoulder. Soon, he realized she was fast asleep. Slowly and cautiously, so as not to wake her, he moved her off his shoulder into a horizontal position on the bench. He then transfigured the bench into a more comfortable sleeping spot and summoned an extra blanket, which he tenderly placed on her. 

Tina slept on, through all of it. _Good, she needs it badly_. Satisfied that Tina was comfortable, Newt placed a soft kiss on her forehead and tucked her hair behind her ear. He then returned to his own cot to go back to sleep. He felt a lot better knowing he was close by if she needed help again before morning. 

Newt knew the morning would not change anything, really. They'd sustained such terrible losses, only significant time would bring real healing. He was grieving quite badly himself. But there was something about Tina. Something had irreparably broken in her, he could tell. It made perfect sense of course, but it didn't make it any easier. And so, he was determined to put Tina first and be as strong as he could for her. 


	4. I'm walking down the line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The ministry and MACUSA need to decide what to do with Tina.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some Brotp time with Newt and Jacob. Later in the chapter, Tina does have a run in with Achilles, nothing happens, but she is, quite understandably, upset about seeing him.

Newt found Tina in the morning already dressed and standing by the kelpie lake watching the water. She had her arms tightly wound around herself. He lightly touched her shoulder and she started violently. 

"I'm so sorry," Newt stepped back to give Tina space, "I didn't mean to startle you like that."

As soon as Tina saw that it was Newt, she felt terribly guilty. "No, Newt," she clasped his wrist, "it's me who should be sorry, I shouldn't be-" 

"No, Tina," Newt shook his head resolutely, clasping one of her hands in both of his, "I should have remembered… You startled like that yesterday. I-I should do better to remember not to sneak up on you like that. Would you-would you like to talk about it?" 

Tina knew he meant Paris. Naturally, he thought she was jumpy because of what had happened there. It didn't occur to him that there could be more, and she was determined to keep it that way. 

"Not really, no," she mumbled, looking at the floor and shuffling her feet. 

"Well, I won't pry then," Newt replied, lifting her chin up towards him, "but know, whenever you are ready, I'm here, alright? Is there anything you do want?" 

Tina bit her lip. "Hold me?" she whispered, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. 

"Of course," said Newt, taking her into his arms. He held her for several minutes, nuzzling her hair as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

Tina's stomach rumbled. "Hungry, my dear?" Newt asked, kissing her forehead. 

Tina shrugged. "Well, we should probably get up there anyway. Bet your brother and Jacob are up by now anyway."

"You're right," Newt kissed her forehead again before releasing her, "now let's go get you something to eat. And explain ourselves, as I'm pretty sure they already know something is up…" 

Newt and Tina smiled shyly at each other, then entwined their fingers. They made their way upstairs hand in hand. 

Sure enough, Jacob and Theseus were already at the table, both with that gleam in their eyes that told Newt and Tina they were about to be subjected to some teasing. 

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty, Prince give you a nice wakeup smooch?" smirked Jacob. His joke fell flat, though, as nobody else was familiar with the no-maj fairytale. "Seriously, guys? You don't have the same fairy tales that we do? But they've all got magic and dragons and stuff!" Jacob shook his head in bewilderment. 

Theseus then took over, "I suppose we'll have to read Jacob here the Tales of Beedle the Bard tonight before bed," 

"Only if I get to read you guys some of my kind of fairytales!" Jacob insisted. 

"Fine, fine," Newt agreed, "after-dinner activity, we sit around swapping fairytales!" Everyone murmured enthusiastically at the idea. However, unfortunately for Newt and Tina, they had not escaped the teasing Jacob and Theseus were determined to put them through. 

"So, Newt, will you at least let me know when you're getting married, rather than leaving me to find out when you have three kids already?" Theseus teased, "after all, you left me to learn about Tina by walking in on you snogging," both he and Jacob chuckled in mirth. Jacob was particularly amused by the word "snogging."

"I'm disappointed that you, as an auror, failed to notice any other signs beforehand," Newt shrugged, then pulled Tina in for an exaggerated kiss just to annoy the spectators. 

Tina giggled and felt the need to add, "I do wonder about the training of these British aurors, the way I hexed your brother so easily at the French ministry…" 

Theseus tried to scowl, but couldn't help laughing along with everyone else. He couldn't help but wish Leta could be part of the banter. She'd worried for Newt as much as he did, Merlin, she'd have been so thrilled to see him find happiness. Suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, Theseus got up from the table and turned away, to calm himself down. 

Newt realized immediately and got up to follow him. "I'm sorry, Thes," he placed an arm around his brother's trembling shoulders, "I shouldn't be so… it was wrong of me to be so expressive with Tina in front of-" 

"Don't," Theseus held up a hand to quiet his brother, then he turned around to look at Newt and grasped him by the shoulders, "don't you dare apologize, Newt. I've wanted for years… Leta worried about you so… You deserve happiness, Newt. Never apologize for having some good in your life. I'm truly and honestly happy for you." He then hugged Newt tightly, and Newt hugged him back properly, for once. 

Jacob, in the meantime, had turned to face Tina, to make sure she knew he felt the same way. 

"I know you and your sister was fighting, and I'm sorry you didn't get a chance yet to fix it," Jacob told her in a quavering voice, "but I know how much she loves you no matter what. She just wanted you to be happy, to be ok. And now that you are, I'm happy too!" He scooped Tina in a big hug, and she hugged him back. 

Theseus and Newt returned to the table. "Right," said Theseus, "now we need to talk business. There remains the matter of how to handle the ministry, and we don't have much time."

Jacob and Tina stiffened at that. They knew he was talking about what the ministry was going to want to do with them. 

"Newt, you defied that bloody travel ban," Theseus started, "I can bail you out, but there will be terms attached. For the love of Merlin, Newt, just do whatever they tell you this time. If not for me, at least for Tina's sake…" Newt agreed, contrite for once in his life. 

"The matter of Jacob should be fairly simple," Theseus continued, "laws here are different than in America. As long as you can say you're engaged to a witch, they won't obliviate you here. America won't accept that there, so you cannot go back without risking obliviation."

Jacob sighed heavily. What would this mean for his bakery? Would he ever be able to go back to New York? Well, things could be figured out. As long as he was safe here, he could take his time to work it all out… 

"Tina is going to be a bit more complicated," said Theseus, checking his watch, "and we need to hurry if I'm to make this work. It's been nearly 48 hours since Paris and MACUSA is sure to have a team here any time now, if not already."

Tina shuddered. She knew there was no way she was keeping her job, not after what her own sister did. She'd be lucky not to be sent straight to prison upon returning to New York. "So what's your idea, then?"

"We go to the ministry now. I make the case for taking you on in my department. You resign from MACUSA and sign on with us before they get to talk to you," said Theseus. 

"Even if this works, they'll still insist on talking to me," Tina's eyes widened in fear. 

"Let them!" Theseus banged on the table, "once you're one of ours, all they can do is bluster about it, but they can't touch you. Now let's go, we need to talk to Travers before the ministry opens for business. Don't worry, he'll be there already."

"It'll be alright, Tina, Theseus will take good care of you," Newt squeezed Tina's hand reassuringly. He followed them to the fireplace as Theseus threw in a handful of floo powder. Jacob squawked as the green flames sprung up inside. 

Newt tucked Tina's hair behind her ear and kissed her softly, "I'll be waiting for you in the lobby when it's all done," he whispered. 

Tina nodded and kissed him back. Then she reluctantly followed Theseus into the green flames. She sure hoped this worked. 

Newt then walked back over to Jacob to calm him down and explain about floo powder. He was a bit freaked out watching his friends disappear in a swirl of green flames… 

After calming Jacob down, the two friends decided to go out for errands. Jacob needed to send a telegram to his assistant Henry and get some money wired to him. Newt was absolutely fascinated with telegrams and found the whole concept intriguing. 

"This is way better than owls!" he exclaimed a little too loudly, drawing stares. 

"Aren't you guys supposed to be laying low?" Jacob teased. Newt just shrugged sheepishly. 

"Listen, we'll talk more about telegrams later, when people can't hear you asking questions about how everything works," Jacob promised. 

Next, they went to buy pick up a copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales for later. Luckily for the both of them, Newt didn't find anything that stood out to him in the muggle bookshop. After they finished there, Newt took him to Diagon Alley to buy a copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard. 

"Newt, this place is incredible!" Jacob kept saying again and again. Newt just grinned. He was glad his best friend could stay for the long term and was quite happy to show him around. 

"Perhaps if you open a branch over here, you can set up shop with the wizards," Newt suggested, "your creature pastries are sure to be a hit. Ah, here we are," Newt grimaced as they found themselves in front of a bookshop plastered with moving images of his own face, desperately trying to hide behind his own book…

"Awww, Newt, buddy," Jacob clapped him on the shoulder, "no need to be so shy! You did something amazing! I'm proud of you! Tina is too," he winked. 

"Let's just go in and get what we came for and get out as fast as possible," Newt sighed. Then, he saw the proprietor walking briskly towards them as they entered… 

It was too late, there was no stopping the proprietor from capitalizing on the surprise appearance of the author of one of the store's most popular books. To make matters worse, the store seemed to be populated exclusively with young witches in their 20s today, all eager to throw themselves at the handsome beast taming wizard. 

"Bugger!" Newt groaned under his breath, desperately looking for a way out, while Jacob just grinned mischievously as a wall of squealing witches surrounded them. 

"I fucking hate being famous," Newt ranted afterward, as the pair hid in a back alley after finally escaping Flourish and Blotts. He piled up all the scented handkerchiefs and cards, some even with lipstick marks, that many of the fawning young witches had handed him in the shop. He pointed his wand at the pile and with a quick incendio charm, flames shot out of the wand and lit the pile of mementos on fire. 

"Good idea," Jacob chuckled, "You definitely wouldn't want Tina to find any of those. Man, you are quite the doll magnet, I'm kinda jealous, Newt." He laughed some more, as Newt glared at him before turning back to the flames. 

"Well, at least we got what we came for," Jacob held up the copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard that the owner had insisted they take for free. It was the most expensive edition available. 

"Hey, maybe before we go back, you should pick up a little something for Tina," Jacob suggested, "the ladies love it when their man comes home with thoughtful little surprises for them."

Newt brightened at the idea. "Aguamenti," he pointed his wand at the little fire he'd made, now satisfied that everything was sufficiently charred. He then turned back to Jacob, "that's a marvelous idea, thank you. Will you help me pick something out for her? I'm no good at any of this…" 

Jacob smiled widely, "of course! That's what best friends are for!" he clapped Newt on the back, "now, you wizards got any jewelry or flower shops…?" he rambled on as they turned back onto the main road to continue their shopping. 

Tina and Theseus were having a considerably less lighthearted time over at the ministry. First, there had been the matter of getting Travers to agree to hire Tina on the spot. 

"Theseus, there are procedures here," Travers shook his head, "your brother is one thing, he's already an employee here, plus we've been trying to get him on your team for months! But we can't just hire this unknown auror without extensive-" 

"She doesn't have to start right away," Theseus clarified, "it's just, if we don't act fast, MACUSA will, and we lose out on an incredibly valuable asset. At least sign her on conditionally, pending clearance through all the appropriate channels…" 

"Then there's the matter of her sister, isn't that a liability?" Travers countered. 

"No, it's an asset!" Theseus insisted, "she will not rest until she gets her sister out of Grindelwald's clutches. She also knows Credence better than all of us, plus, she's worked with my brother before. They make a formidable team."

Travers was beginning to waver. "And you say you can vouch for her skill?" he asked Theseus pointedly. Theseus tensed for a moment. Was he ready to share the most embarrassing moment of his life? Travers was watching him intently, waiting for an answer. 

"I have been on the receiving end of a hex from her wand," he muttered, looking at his shoes, "trust me, I pity any enemy facing the same."

Travers cracked a rare smile. "Theseus Scamander brought down by a young American lass, eh?" he then turned over to Tina chuckling bemusedly, "you're just what we need then. Welcome to the British Ministry of Magic," he put out his hand for her to shake. Tina shook it, still in a daze. 

Theseus was in a daze too. He had done it! Tina was now part of the ministry, and she and Newt wouldn't have to worry anymore. "Well, Scamander?" Travers snapped Theseus out of his daze, "get the paperwork ready! As you said, time is of the essence, I've just received word the MACUSA delegation has arrived!" 

"Right sir!" Theseus scrambled, summoning the quills and paperwork over, and quickly walked Tina through the stack of papers to sign everything. 

Sure enough, there was a knock on the door, just as Tina finished signing. She looked fearfully between Travers and Theseus. Theseus smiled reassuringly, while Travers said, "you're one of ours now, there's nothing they can do."

The door opened, and there stood Percival Graves himself. His eyebrows rose as he saw Tina there. "Well, that makes things easier, she's already here. Come along, Tina, we need to talk."

"Before she goes with you, there's something you ought to know, Percival," Travers handed him the stack of papers Tina had just finished signing. Graves quickly scanned the contents, a scowl growing on his face the more he read. 

"Very clever, Torquil, very clever," he harshly shoved the papers back at Travers. "Be that as it may, we're still allowed to talk to her about her last days under MACUSA, so Tina, you still need to come with us. Don't worry, you get to stay here when we're done, regardless," he shook his head in disgust. 

Theseus and Travers followed Graves and Tina out the door to the room where the MACUSA panel sat waiting. Tina got a peek of who else had come along for this. Graves was harsh, but she knew he'd be fair. And there was Jones, also fair. Then, her blood froze in her veins as she saw none other than Achilles Tolliver sitting at the table. There was nothing to be done, all she could do was fight back the bile rising in her throat and hope this went quickly. 

Theseus could have sworn he saw a flash of fear in Tina's eyes as she caught sight of the rest of the panel. He wondered what that could be about… "We'll be putting through your citizenship application in the meantime," he smiled encouragingly, "if we're not here when you're done, go down to the lobby and find Newt." 

Tina nodded in acknowledgment and then steeled herself and crossed the threshold into the conference room. 

"Now, before we start, I need to let you know, this is no longer an interrogation," Graves shot Tina a dirty look, "Miss Goldstein is now under the protection of the British Ministry." Both Jones and Achilles opened their mouths to protest, but Graves held up a hand to stop them. "You know the law, boys," he shook his head, "she signed on with them first. That changes things. We can still get the last of her information from her time with us, but that's it. She won't be returning to New York and anything she knows of as of today, she is not required to share."

"Coffee, Goldstein?" Achilles offered her a steaming cup, "probably the last time you'll ever have a decent brew if you're really set on staying here," he smirked. 

Tina shook her head, trying not to recoil openly from what was clearly meant as a provocation. She hadn't had any coffee at all since that fateful afternoon. She didn't think she ever would again. "Tea suits me just fine these days," she replied dryly. 

Achilles was determined to continue goading her. She could tell he was furious that she would not be returning to New York. 

"Director Graves, sir," he turned to Graves, "do we really need to accept this? Don't you think it's just a little strange that they signed her on just like that?" he snapped his fingers. Tina held her breath, wondering what Achilles was going to demand now. 

"I don't think it's a coincidence," he got up and walked behind Tina, placing a hand lightly on her shoulder, right where it met her neck. Tina's breath hitched unpleasantly as she felt her skin begin to crawl, but she suppressed the urge to shudder. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. "The ministry doesn't just hire people, especially not aurors, in a minute. They got clearance procedures, same as we do. Leaves one to wonder, what this little fox did, who this…this little slut-" 

Graves jumped up at that, "Tolliver!" he exclaimed angrily, "I know we ain't happy to be losing one of our best, and this is gonna be a big headache when we get back, but I will not have you hurling around baseless, scurrilous accusations against members-or former members-of my team! Is that understood?!" 

Achilles let go of Tina and went back to his seat muttering. Tina exhaled. Graves looked over at her, and took over the discussion, "now, Goldstein, I want your statement on the last three days you spent in Paris…" 

Tina tried her best to keep her gaze on Graves, but couldn't help noticing Achilles leering at her throughout the remainder of the interview. After what was probably less than 20 minutes (though it felt like 20 hours) Graves indicated that he had what he needed. Everyone stood to leave. 

"Well, I'm truly sorry to see you go," Graves said honestly, as he warmly shook her hand, "and the best of luck to you."

"All the best to you too," Tina replied. 

Jones nodded silently and shook her hand too. Then, finally, Achilles. He was smiling again, but Tina could feel that he was seething underneath. She didn't want to dignify him with a handshake, didn't want to feel his skin against her own, but she gritted her teeth and did it anyway. One second and she'd never have to be in the same room as him ever again...she shook his hand, plastering a fake smile and suppressing another shudder. 

"Well, it's time for me to get going now, send my regards to everyone back in New York," Tina waved to everyone as she backed out the door. The group waved back, and with that, she stepped out, closing the door forever on her old life. 

A quick glance showed that Theseus and Travers had not returned, so she started heading for the elevator to go downstairs and look for Newt. All the way there, the horrible ghost-hands relentlessly grasped and grabbed at her, the lingering smell of coffee made her stomach lurch, and she had a hard time keeping her breath steady. 

_ Get it together, Goldstein, it's over and you won,  _ Tina kept telling herself all the way down to the lobby. She was staying in England, and no one, not MACUSA, nor Achilles, for that matter, could touch her. Theseus had done his job well and she was completely safe, under the protection of the British Ministry. 

And yet, seeing Achilles, and the way he had leered at her throughout the interrogation, had shaken her to her core. She needed to get out of here, get back to Newt…

She scanned the lobby as she stepped out of the elevator, and soon found that wonderful mop of copper hair, pacing back and forth. He turned toward the elevator and his face lit up as he found her. They strode purposefully toward each other, and Tina threw herself into Newt's waiting arms. 

"Tina, you're shaking!" Newt immediately remarked as he held her close. He stepped back for a moment, gripping her shoulders as he looked at her, full of worry and concern. 

Tina brought a trembling hand up to his cheek. "No, it's fine," she assured him. "Everything worked out perfectly, I'm going to be working for the Ministry, I'm staying in England, and MACUSA can't do a damn thing about it," she smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, and Newt could still feel a fine tremor in her. 

"Then what…?" 

"The MACUSA team," Tina mumbled, "people I really didn't want to see…" She trailed off and shuddered once more. 

"I understand," Newt embraced her again, then cupped her cheek and looked directly at her, "but it's done now. You don't have to see them again. It'll be alright. I've got you Tina…" and he brought his lips to hers. 

They kept it short and chaste, as they were in public, but it was still enough to tune out their surroundings for a few moments. And what they didn't notice was that the elevator had opened again right beside them. 

Achilles Tolliver stood seething in the golden elevator as it hurtled down. Tina Goldstein had outsmarted MACUSA, and worse, himself. He was not looking forward to returning to New York alone… 

The golden grates opened to the lobby and Achilles stepped out, only to be confronted with the most enraging sight to his eyes. There was Tina,  _ his  _ Tina, kissing some tall, presumably British, stranger. 

_ Why, that whoring bitch! Moving on already, as though we never happened! And I was right, she totally did fuck her way into the Ministry!  _

His hand instantly flew to his wand, but then he thought better of it. No, it would not do to cause a scene. He watched jealously as the copper-haired wizard tenderly tucked a lock of Tina's hair behind her ear and smiled adoringly at her before offering up his arm. She took it, looking back at him with a matching adoring gaze, and together, they walked to the apparition point and disappeared. 

Achilles stared at the spot for several minutes after they'd left, rage simmering in his chest. He decided then and there that he would be extending his stay in London indefinitely. 


	5. Don't know where it goes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our group of four is coming together as unit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly fluff and humor, actually. Although during the fairy tale reading, Tina is triggered and has a PTSD episode, and then later that night has a nightmare, but I did not write either of those graphically. Newt is there for her through it all, and we see more emotional support creatures.

After returning to Newt's flat, Newt started brewing some tea for the both of them. Tina's mood had brightened since finding him in the lobby, but Newt could tell she was still a bit shaken from meeting with the MACUSA representatives.

"I'm sorry I haven't got any coffee, I'll try to find some now that I know you're going to be staying here," Newt smiled apologetically. 

"No, it's fine," she grinned back at him while sipping her tea, "if I'm gonna be a Brit now, may as well do it right. Besides," she dropped her gaze and stared into her cup, "I actually don't really like coffee anymore. I've preferred tea since leaving for Paris two months ago."

"Well, then, that's as good a start as any," Newt shrugged. They sipped their tea quietly for a few more moments before Newt decided that now might be a good time to present the gift Jacob had helped him pick out in Diagon alley. 

"Tina," Newt nervously took her hands in his, "I was out doing some errands and I picked up, well, a little something for you."

"Oh, Newt, you didn't have to-" 

Newt cut her off with a kiss, "but I wanted to," he whispered against her lips, "I promised last night to do my best to make you happy. It can't be easy to all of a sudden find yourself calling a new country home, and I just, well, if I can do anything to make things a little easier and a little happier for you…" he trailed off as he fumbled around in his pocket and pulled out a flat white box. 

He opened the box to reveal a silver bracelet with three silver charms hanging from it. A thunderbird flapping its wings, a niffler sniffing around, and a kneazle curling up and yawning. Each of the creatures had semi-precious stones for eyes. 

"It's beautiful, Newt!" Tina exclaimed, throwing her arms around him, "Thank you so much, I love it!" 

Newt's nervous smile immediately gave way to radiant joy. "I'm so happy you like it Tina," he kissed her wrist as he slipped the bracelet onto it, then they held each other tight as they kissed passionately. 

After they broke apart, Newt grinned sheepishly and added, "we should both thank Jacob too, he guided me every step of the way…"

Tina flicked his bangs playfully, "you know, you really should believe more in yourself. I mean, if salamander eyes and middle head worked on me, that oughtta tell you something…" they both dissolved into giggles at that, and they kissed once more. 

Newt then led her downstairs so they could work with the creatures until dinner time. Relief coursed through him, seeing Tina so genuinely happy. He knew she was facing a difficult road ahead. In the last three days, she'd not only lost her sister, but her home and country as well. Newt had already seen how much pain she was in, had tasted the salt of the bitter tears he'd kissed away. He knew there would likely be more tears in the days and weeks to come, but seeing her enjoy the creatures and light up from the simple gift he'd given her gave him some hope. She was beginning to heal, and that thought comforted him more than anything. 

As had been planned over breakfast, Newt, Tina, Jacob, and Theseus sat in the living room after dinner, gathered around a crackling fire, swapping fairytales. Tina was curled into Newt's lap, resting her head against his shoulder. Newt rested his cheek against the top of her head and held her close. 

Theseus was reading The Fountain of Fair Fortune from The Tales of Beedle the Bard. Newt and Tina were listening, but as they both knew the story, they weren't giving it quite the same rapt attention that Jacob was, as it was his first time hearing such a story. 

"... And all four led long and happy lives, and none of them ever knew or suspected that the Fountain's waters carried no enchantment at all," Theseus finished with a dramatic flourish. He bowed his head as his audience clapped. 

"Bravo, bravo!" Jacob exclaimed, clapping the loudest, "nice one! And now, it's my turn to share one of mine," he grinned as he pulled out the book of Grimm's Fairy Tales. "Now, I suppose we should start with the one I referenced this morning, Sleeping Beauty."

Jacob flipped through the book until he found what he was looking for. This time, Newt and Tina were listening attentively, as was Theseus, as they'd never heard this one before. 

"Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a king and queen who longed for a child…" Jacob began. His audience of three was a good one. They gasped and murmured in all the right places. 

Well, Newt did interrupt at one point to argue that the fairies in the story were not realistic. "That's not at all what fairies are like!" he interjected when Jacob read that the fairies had gathered to bless the little princess, "fairies don't really have that level of intelligence or power."

"Wait, you telling me fairies are real?!" Jacob asked incredulously. 

"They sure are, though not at all like that," Newt replied, "for one thing-" 

"Now, now," Theseus stopped him, "We're here to listen to a story, not a biology lesson."

Tina agreed. "You can show him the entry on fairies in your book later," she kissed the tip of Newt's nose, "but for now, let Jacob read."

Outnumbered, Newt settled back down and Jacob continued reading the story. 

"There she lay, so beautiful that he could not turn his eyes away, and he stooped down and gave her a kiss," Jacob read the climax with great feeling, "But as soon as he kissed her, Briar Rose opened her eyes and awoke, and looked at him quite sweetly…" 

Newt and Theseus smiled upon learning of the sleeping princess' rescue and happily ever after. But Tina had stiffened in Newt's arms as the prince approached the sleeping princess. When the prince kissed Briar Rose, Tina could feel the ghost-hands creeping up on her, grabbing her roughly… 

"Tina, are you alright?" Newt questioned as Jacob finished the story. Tina had a blank, faraway look in her eyes, almost as though she wasn't present. He could feel the tension in her body, as though she had sensed an oncoming attack. 

Tina stood up, extricating herself from Newt's arms. "I-I'm alright," she stammered out, not looking at anyone, but rather staring at something no one else could see, "please excuse me, I gotta go…" and she turned to the basement and ran downstairs. 

Newt, Jacob, and Theseus stared after her, bewildered, and then Jacob said, "Newt, shouldn't you be going after her?" 

"Yes, you're quite right," Newt shook himself out of his confusion, "excuse me," and he ran down the stairs after Tina. 

He found Tina in the bed he'd transfigured for her the night before, by the kelpie lake. His heart twisted in pain as he saw her hugging her knees to her chest, rocking herself and crying, just as she'd done by the tree at Hogwarts, and then in his bed last night when nightmares had awoken her. 

"Tina?" he called out softly, approaching her slowly, "Tina, may I come near?" he reached a hand out to her but she did not take it. Rather, she retreated, scrunching herself into the corner. 

"Tina?" he called out again, worry rising in his chest. 

"I just want to be alone Newt," Tina shot back. She looked up at him for a moment, tear-streaked eyes wide with fear, then buried her face back between her knees. 

Newt was torn. He didn't want to leave her alone like this, but he would not intrude when she'd clearly asked to be alone. He lingered another second, wondering if he should try again, but Tina, between choking sobs, made the final decision. 

"Please Newt, I need-I need to be alone right now."

It couldn't be clearer than that. With a heavy heart, he turned away. As if on cue, his trusty niffler poked his snout around the corner. Newt smiled sadly and scooped him up. 

"Tina needs you again, I think, old boy," he whispered as he affectionately scratched the top of the niffler's head, "go look after her. See if you can get Dougal over there too. There's a good boy!" he crooned encouragingly as the niffler set off. 

Newt watched for a few more seconds until the niffler sidled up to Tina and Dougal materialized on her other side. Tina looked up for a moment and then snuggled up to both creatures, and once again, her trembling subsided. Satisfied that Tina was being looked after, Newt trudged back up the stairs to his living room. 

Newt could hear Theseus shouting as he made his way back up. What on earth…? As he walked into the room, he saw a very pale-faced Theseus peering into Jacob's book and shaking his head. 

"What the fuck is wrong with people?! How the fuck is this a story for children?!" Theseus yelled. 

Jacob snatched his book back, "I dunno, man, it is pretty balled up, I guess, but that's the story! It just is! And Cinderella is my favorite!" 

"Well, Newt's back in here, let's have him decide," Theseus smirked, noticing that Newt had returned, then, his face fell as he saw Tina wasn't with him. "How is she?" he asked, switching from excitement to concern. 

"She's-I think she's having something similar to shell shock, since Paris," Newt explained quietly, "same thing happened yesterday while we were at Hogwarts. She wanted to be alone for now," he sighed painfully. 

Theseus put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "She'll be alright," he told Newt reassuringly, "it's completely understandable, after all. You did the right thing, if she asked for space, that is what she needs right now."

Jacob nodded in agreement. "Now, why don't we read Cinderella before you check on her again," Jacob suggested, "me and your brother here need you to settle an argument for us."

And so, Theseus took up Grimm's Fairy Tales and began to read. Newt shook his head, wondering what could possibly be the argument. Sure, it was a bit much, with the girl relying entirely on magic to solve her problems, but it seemed a pleasant enough tale. 

Theseus began to slow down, eyeing Newt as the part he wished to adjudicate approached. "The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the king's son…" he trailed off, waiting for Newt's response. 

"Pardon, did you just say…" Newt sat straight up, horrified, "did I hear correctly that the stepsister…?" 

"See, Jacob?" Theseus smirked triumphantly, "I told you Newt would agree this is fucked up!" 

"Now, Theseus, I didn't say-" 

"Not in so many words, but the look on your face when the stepsister chopped off-" 

"I never said it wasn't crazy, I told you it's balled up!" Jacob interjected, "but just, that's how the story goes!" 

"And this was read to you as a child?!" Theseus exclaimed, with the most squeamish and horrified look on his face.

"Hey, now, we agreed that Newt here has the final decision." 

Newt grinned, and then announced, with mock pretension, "as the final arbiter in the matter of How Fucked Up is Cinderella, I must say," he stared pointedly at Jacob, "chopping of parts of feet to fit into a shoe and marry the prince is quite a high order of fucked up."

Theseus smirked triumphantly, but Newt was not finished. "Alas, I cannot say the muggles have the monopoly on fucked up fairy tales. Honestly, The Hairy Heart and The Tale of the Three Brothers are quite fucked up in their own right."

"Not like this!" Theseus exclaimed hotly. 

"Uh, uh, uh!" Newt held up a hand as Jacob smirked triumphantly this time, "it was agreed that I have the final word, and I say it's a tie! Now who's up for a round of firewhiskey?"

That was something they all could agree on, so Newt summoned a bottle over and passed it around, while Jacob took his book back so he could finish reading Cinderella. Newt noticed that Theseus poured himself a rather more liberal serving than he should have, but Newt decided not to say anything. He knew Theseus had to be suffering terribly right now. On top of Tina, he'd have to keep an eye out for Theseus as well… 

As they finished their first round, Theseus offered up another one. Jacob took it, but Newt declined, citing a need to check on Tina, which was completely true. He hoped she was feeling better and that she was ready to let him come near her again. He desperately ached to hold her and tell her it was going to be alright. 

When he got down, he found Tina asleep on the bed. He figured at this point, it would make sense to ask her in the morning if she wanted him to create a permanent space for her down there. After last night, he anyway preferred being close by, where he could hear her if she had a nightmare. After her second incidence of shell shock today, he suspected that nightmares might continue for awhile. 

As he approached Tina, he saw that the niffler was curled up under her chin. Dougal flashed into visibility just then, showing Newt that he was sitting beside Tina holding her hand. Newt saw the blanket at the foot of the bed and dragged it up to cover Tina so she wouldn't get cold. 

Newt leaned down to place a kiss on Tina's forehead, but suddenly found his way blocked by Dougal. The Demiguise's eyes flashed bright blue. Newt wondered what Dougal was seeing, but respected the creature's earnest insistence that he not kiss Tina. 

"May I at least tuck her hair back, Dougal?" Newt asked him. Dougal stepped back, which Newt took as a yes. He tenderly tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. 

At that moment, Pickett hopped out and jumped into Tina's hair, nestling in for the night. Newt was very moved. "Thank you Pick," he whispered, "take good care of her, please. She's hurting a lot, you know." Pickett squeaked in acknowledgment before yawning and snuggling deeper into Tina's hair. 

Satisfied that she was in good hands (and paws) Newt retreated to his own sleeping area to prepare for bed. As part of his preparations for bed, he pulled out a vial of Dreamless Sleep. He figured it would be good to have on hand in case Tina needed it. He worried about her. Damn his philosophy, ever since he'd stumbled into Tina's life nine months ago, he worried about her. And after what had just happened a few days ago, and seeing how heartbroken she was, he could not help but worry even more. Eventually, exhaustion won out over worry and he fell asleep. 

Far too soon, he felt himself being shaken awake. Even before he opened his eyes, he could hear her crying out...He shot up in his cot and found himself looking into Dougal's bright blue eyes. 

"Good boy, Dougal," he patted the faithful Demiguise on the head, "please, take me to her." 

Dougal took Newt by the hand and led him over to the bed by the kelpie lake, where he was met with a scene that absolutely tore at his heart. Tina was thrashing around and moaning, "please don't…please! Don't! No, please…" 

Newt was about to go straight to her when Dougal stopped him again, just as he had earlier in the evening. Remembering how Jacob had ended up with a black eye the night before, Newt understood immediately and allowed Dougal to take over. 

Dougal climbed onto Tina, hovered over her face, and gently put his paws on her shoulders. Slowly, slowly, the thrashing stopped and Tina came into consciousness. 

She didn't notice Dougal at first, and just sat bolt upright. As she had come to expect, Tina immediately felt the ghost-hands crawling all over her, so she started tugging around, dusting herself off, trying to swat them away. She then caught sight of Dougal and hugged him tight. Something about the little creature was so comforting that it made the ghost-hands vanish. As Tina's breathing slowed down to normal, Dougal looked into her eyes and then inclined his head. She followed his lead and there, standing back, waiting for her permission to approach, stood-

"Newt!" Tina called out softly, "it's OK Newt, you can come over."

"Are you sure?" Newt asked, "I don't mind standing back if you need more time."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Tina replied, her voice wavering a bit as she once again hugged her knees to her chest, "please stay with me."

Newt walked over and sat beside her. He tentatively hovered his arm over her shoulders, and Tina scooted over and snuggled up against him, a cue that she wanted to be held. So hold her he did, just like last night. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead repeatedly, while telling her again and again, "I'll catch you. I've got you, Tina."

They sat like that for awhile. Tina eventually relaxed and they shifted to a less entwined position. She looked into Newt's sea-green eyes, and slowly kissed him. Newt relaxed into the kiss and hummed happily. 

"Thank you, Newt," Tina whispered against his lips, "and I'm so, so sorry I woke you again."

"Think nothing of it, Tina," he breathed back, "I am here and I will wake up every night for the next hundred years if you need me to," he kissed her again. 

After they broke apart, they stared out over the lake for a bit, Tina's head resting on Newt's shoulder. "Do you wish to talk about it?" he asked. 

Tina shook her head resolutely. Newt sighed. He knew he couldn't push, that she'd open up whenever she was ready. But he worried so. She was suffering terribly, and even though Jacob, Theseus, and himself were also suffering, Tina was clearly having the hardest time of it. 

For what seemed like the hundredth time in the last several days, Newt wondered what could possibly have broken her so badly. Well, of course, there was her sister's betrayal. Then finding out she could not return to her country, her home. But Tina, beautiful Tina, so brave, bold, and strong, was shattered in a way that he just hadn't expected given what he knew of her. This wasn't the same Tina he'd left on the docks of New York harbor nine months ago. He held her some more. Surely, with time, she'd begin to heal, and hopefully open up to him. 

Tina yawned, but didn't make any movement toward going back to sleep. Newt decided now might be a good time to offer. 

"I remember you said you usually can't fall back asleep," he started, "you know, I have a bit of Dreamless Sleep, it's not a long term solution, I know, but perhaps-" he felt Tina stiffen at the mention of Dreamless Sleep. 

"No, no thanks," she looked down at the floor, "I'm-I'm really not into using potions for that sort of thing."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of you know, to need a little help," Newt assured her, "especially after-" 

"No," Tina shook her head firmly, "it's not that, it's…" she trailed off. 

How to explain? She knew it was ridiculous, that she probably could use a big heaping dose of the stuff. Besides, she knew she had nothing to fear, Newt was safe, he cared for her, and anyway, whatever it was that Achilles had given her, it wasn't Dreamless Sleep. Still, thanks to Achilles, not only was coffee forever ruined for Tina, so was any kind of potion that could mess with her faculties. The thought of any sort of potion that would make her unable to be in full control of her consciousness filled her with dread and terror… 

"I've-I've had bad reactions to Dreamless Sleep in the past," she finally decided on. 

Newt took her at her word. "I'm sorry it doesn't work for you. How about some plain old tea, then? It seemed to help last night," he suggested. 

"Yeah, I guess so," Tina shrugged. 

So tea it was. Newt brewed up a good, relaxing chamomile for the both of them. "You know, since you seem to like your spot over here," Newt started as they sipped their tea together, "perhaps tomorrow, I can make you a proper room over here. It-it makes me feel better to have you close by, you know," he looked earnestly into her eyes. 

Tina smiled at him, showing her dimple. "Yeah, I'd like that," she agreed, "I have a few days until I start with the ministry, so that can be our project tomorrow."

"Good," Newt kissed the tip of her nose. Tina yawned again. 

"I think I'm gonna fall back asleep soon," she announced, laying back down, "stay with me until I do?" she clasped Newt's hand. 

"Of course, if that's what you wish," Newt smiled back, and tenderly kissed her forehead. 

Within a few minutes, Tina was sleeping again, a small, relaxed smile playing on her lips. Newt once again tucked her hair back before getting up and returning to his own cot. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note about the fairy tales: in Deathly Hallows, Ron indicates that he's never heard of Cinderella or Snow White, so based on that, I'm assuming wizards are not familiar with muggle fairy tales.
> 
> Regarding Sleeping Beauty, some of you might be familiar with a really horrifying version of the tale where the prince actually gets her pregnant while she's still sleeping. Believe it or not, that is the Italian version, NOT the Grimm version, which, surprisingly, isn't nearly as gruesome and messed up as their usual fare. Since Jacob was reading Grimm's, that's the version I used. Plus, unfortunately, as you saw, it was still triggering for Tina ☹️


	6. I walk alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina begins working at the ministry. She's feeling better until a letter arrives for her...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where the stalking tag comes into play. She doesn't see Achilles, but hearing from him upsets her all the same and sets her recovery back.

The next couple of weeks saw Tina settling into a good routine. True to his word, Newt had set up a proper room for her in the basement. A few days later, she started working at the ministry. As Travers had warned the day he hired her, there were some bureaucratic hurdles to clear, so she was basically a glorified secretary in the auror department until that all got worked out. Theseus was apologetic about it, but Tina was so glad to be at the ministry and no longer subject to the whims of MACUSA (not to mention glad to be with Newt) that she didn't mind waiting however long it took to officially be cleared for auror work. 

Settling in had a positive effect on Tina's moods as well. In the last two weeks, her shell shock incidents had decreased to once every few days, and she was sleeping better. She still had nightmares nearly every night, but with Newt by her side, she calmed down pretty quickly and was generally able to get back to sleep fairly easily. The ghost-hands seemed to finally be loosening their grip. 

One early fall morning, Tina was in a particularly good mood because last night she had not woken up at all. She didn't remember any of her dreams either. Newt noticed as well. 

"You slept the whole night! You must feel wonderful this morning," he held her close and sighed into her hair after kissing her good morning. 

"It does feel real nice to wake up after sleeping properly," she agreed. 

Newt smoothed her hair down, and gazed into her eyes, his own eyes sparkling happily, "you have no idea how relieved I am to see you so well," he breathed against her lips before kissing her again. 

"I thought worrying means you suffer twice," Tina teased. 

"It does," Newt conceded, "and thanks to you, I do believe I'm now doomed to always suffer twice…" 

Tina swatted him playfully, and then Newt scooped her up and twirled her around as she laughed and laughed. He set her down with one last kiss and they went upstairs, arm in arm, for breakfast. 

Although Newt was now technically an auror too (he had finally agreed in order to avoid punishment for defying his travel ban) he still got to keep his office in the Beasts Division, with Theseus calling him up as needed. Tina walked Newt to his office and stepped inside for a few minutes to say goodbye for the day. After some heated kissing, the two broke apart, smiling softly as they made sure to straighten themselves up before Tina left to go to the auror offices. 

"Meet you for lunch?" Newt squeezed her hand as she headed for the door. 

"Yeah," Tina nodded, "but maybe in my office, or else we might forget to eat," she winked. With a final peck on Newt's cheek, she left his office and headed to her own. 

The morning passed uneventfully, as most mornings did these days. Theseus tried to keep her in the loop as much as he could for her not having full clearance yet, always with an apologetic smile and promises that he was working his hardest to move things along as quickly as possible. 

Lunch came, and Newt along with it. Their relationship was quite public now, and there was plenty of gossip going around, but they didn't mind too much. It was better than what the last round of gossip had done, after all. 

At around two, the owls came by. Since Tina was acting in a secretarial capacity, she went through the mail, charming each letter to fly to the correct person. As she made her way through the pile, she came to a letter with her name on it. She was curious, but she had to get through the rest of the stack first. 

Finally done, she turned to her letter. She really was curious. She didn't have full clearance yet, and besides, the only people she really knew in London right now were Newt, Jacob, and Theseus, and she lived with the three of them. Oh well, she'd know in a second, when she opened this… 

There was no signature. So she went to the top to read. There was only one line. 

_ Do you really think you can end things with me that easily? Slut. _

The blood froze in her veins. There was only one person who would have written that. And he did know where she worked, after all, he had been there the day she was hired. 

_ No! No, no, no!  _ Tina reflexively put her hand to her shoulder, where she could already feel his touch from that day in the interrogation room. Her skin crawled, and she could feel the wisps of the dreaded ghost-hands upon her once again… 

_ Stop it! Not at work!  _ She told herself. She looked around, and back at the letter. Surely, he wasn't still in London. He must have gone back with the rest of the MACUSA team. It wasn't that difficult to send an owl from New York to London, as she well knew, having done it plenty over the course of six months. No, he was goading her. He was trying to get under her skin. But he was thousands of miles away, and she was safe from him. 

Her heart was still beating fast, and the ghost-hands continued to grab at her, just from looking at the letter, but she pushed it all down because right now, she needed to destroy it. That should calm things down. Besides, she couldn't risk Newt finding it. If he found that letter, he would fret over her and she might have to open up about what happened between her and Achilles, which was a prospect she just could not face. 

No, the letter had to be completely destroyed, that was what she needed to focus on right now. She looked over to the floo grate, and saw that nobody had gone anywhere recently, so the crackling flames were orange. She strode over briskly to the fireplace and dropped the letter in. She stood by the fireplace hugging herself, willing herself to stop trembling while she waited for the parchment to char completely, to make sure it was totally destroyed beyond recognition. 

When she was sure it was done, she turned around to find herself face to face with Theseus, and startled visibly. 

"Are you well, Tina?" he asked. 

"I'm fine," she insisted, looking guiltily at the floor. 

"I'm not so sure about that, I came over here because I saw you shivering by the fire," he replied shaking his head, "and I think I've confirmed my suspicions. You've caught a cold Tina!" 

"I have not!" she replied hotly. 

"Go home, I'm giving you the afternoon," Theseus insisted.

"But-"

"As both your boss and your brother, of a sort, I order you to go home," he interjected, "Take some pepperup and I'll see you in the morning. I'll let Newt know you went home early." 

"Not Newt, please don't tell him I'm sick!" Tina insisted, "now he's gonna fret-" 

"I will make sure he doesn't, if that's what you wish, but he is going to wonder why you left early. Now go!" he threw the floo powder into the flames and pushed Tina in before she had the chance to object further. 

Tina stumbled out into Newt's flat muttering in annoyance about Theseus being so overprotective. But she had to admit, it was a bit of a relief. She wasn't in a great state after seeing that letter, and suspected another "incident" (as Newt called them) might indeed be coming on. Hopefully it would pass before he got back. 

She found Jacob in the kitchen preparing dinner, and she suddenly felt the need to ask him something, about what had been tormenting her ever since she'd first left for Paris. 

"Oh, hey, Tina, you're home early!" Jacob remarked as he turned around to see who just came in. 

"Yeah, Theseus gave me the afternoon off," she shrugged, "um, Jacob? Could I ask you something?" 

"Sure," Jacob washed his hands and put the knife aside, following Tina to the couch, "what's eating at you?" He could tell Tina was upset about something. 

Sure enough, her eyes welled up as she opened her mouth to speak again. "She didn't come home to say goodbye. Why, Jacob? Why did she let me leave without saying goodbye?!" She collapsed into sobs, and Jacob gathered her in a comforting hug. 

"I'm so sorry, Teen," his own voice was wavering as he held back his tears, "I tried! All that night before, I told her to go back home, that there was still time to patch things up before you had to leave. She spent hours going back and forth, got up to leave then sat back down and said she couldn't…" 

_ I suppose it's a good thing she didn't,  _ Tina thought, remembering returning to her empty apartment just after dawn, and sobbing harder at the memory of having been so very alone at her worst moment… 

"The next morning," Jacob continued, "she overslept and was fretting about how maybe you'd be mad if she showed up the apartment, so she decided to meet you at work, at the port- that thingy that takes you places."

Tina looked up for a moment. Had Queenie gone to meet her at the portkey? "But I didn't see her… I was running late too, I left late because I waited at home a little longer than I should have, until I couldn't wait anymore…" 

"I'm so sorry, Teen," Jacob said again, now crying himself, "yeah, Queenie said she saw you running and not really looking where you was going, and then that was it. She was real broken up about it too. I'm sorry, Teen," he pleaded again. 

"It's not-it's not your fault," Tina hiccuped, patting his shoulder, "what about the postcards, though? Was she getting them? Why didn't she write back?" 

"I dunno," Jacob replied hoarsely, "I tried to convince her to do that too. She said she was embarrassed about missing your departure and I kept trying to explain that avoiding you was only gonna make it worse, not better. I'm sorry I failed you." 

"Jacob," Tina said, looking at him earnestly, "you're here now, and she's not. I've needed her so badly, for months, and now I got you and Theseus, and Newt, of course. You've been here when it matters, don't beat yourself up Jacob," she told him kindly. 

"It's the best I can do," Jacob shrugged, "I know you had your issues between you, but your sister really loves you, she loves you so much, even if it doesn't seem that way now. If she's not able to be a sister to you right now, well, I'll do my best to be a brother to you."

"Thank you, Jacob," Tina whispered between more tears, "it-it really means a lot." 

Unfortunately, Jacob's kindness reminded her of what she really needed her sister for. What she had refused to share with Newt, and what she certainly wasn't planning on sharing with Jacob…

Jacob noticed her eyes beginning to slide out of focus. "T-Tina?" he asked, "everything alright?" 

"Yeah Jacob," she said flatly, almost far away, even, "I think I'm gonna head downstairs for a bit," she got up and robotically made her way downstairs. 

Jacob didn't follow her. He knew she'd been experiencing shell shock since Paris, but Newt had recently expressed relief that it had been getting better over the last week or so. He sighed, but tried not to worry too much. He knew Tina preferred to be left alone during her episodes. Newt would be home soon enough, he'd make sure to let him know to check on Tina right away. 

Sure enough, Newt popped back in about two hours later. He went straight for Jacob. 

"I'm told Tina was sent home with a cold, I trust you looked after her? Is she alright?" he peppered Jacob with questions as he started down the stairs to the basement, where he assumed Tina would be resting. 

Jacob shook his head with a smile. Newt was so far gone on Tina, it was nice to see. But he was also a little bewildered. "She seemed alright to me, didn't know nothing about no cold," he replied, "but, well, she did, um, she had another incident, Newt." 

Newt stopped and bounded back up toward Jacob. "Shell shock again?" he asked in a low voice. 

Jacob nodded. "We were--we were talking about Queenie. Tina is still real sore that Queenie didn't see her off or reply to her postcards," he explained, "and we were talking about it and it just--it just came over her again, like that, you know? And I know she prefers to be alone when it happens, so I stayed back while she went downstairs. It probably passed by now, you should go check on her."

"Thank you, Jacob," Newt gratefully patted Jacob on the shoulder. He sighed heavily, the disappointment over Tina's regression hitting him hard. 

"You don't think--she was getting better, though! Hasn't happened in nearly a week… Why…?" he stammered out, unable to articulate his thoughts fully. 

"I seen a bit of shell shock during and after the war, haven't you?" Jacob replied. 

"I mean, I have, but never in anyone I spent much time with."

"Well, I did see it with some good buddies, and I can tell you, Newt, it doesn't always go the way you think," Jacob explained reassuringly, "it doesn't just stop. It could be going well for awhile, and then bam, it hits outta nowhere. Or it just goes from being every day to every few days. So Tina's probably in that stage now. It's happening less, but it's still happening."

"You really think so?" Newt looked up at Jacob hopefully. 

"Yeah, I do," he clapped Newt on the back, "it's already better than it was when we first came here. She'll be alright. Now, go down and check up on her, ya big goof!" 

Newt exhaled in relief. Jacob seemed somewhat experienced on the matter. If he thought Tina was truly on the road to recovery, then she likely was. He was further relieved as he came down the stairs and saw Tina standing by the lake, the niffler seated on her shoulder. If she wasn't curled up in a corner somewhere, that meant the worst of it had passed. 

"Tina?" he called out softly, while still on the stairs, so as to announce his entrance without startling her. 

Tina didn't turn around, but replied, "you can come over, I'm OK." 

Newt strode over and put an arm around her shoulders. She then rested her head against his shoulder. Though no longer crying, and fully present, Newt could see the sad, haunted look in her eyes, and squeezed her a little tighter. 

"I never got to say goodbye to Queenie, before I left for Paris," Tina started. 

"Oh?" Newt replied neutrally. This was the first time he'd heard Tina mention her sister or Paris. She was finally opening up to him, as he'd been trying to get her to do for over three weeks now, and he was ready to listen for however long she wanted to talk. 

"She wasn't home when it was time for me to go, and I didn't see her at the transportation department either when I made my portkey, though today, Jacob told me she was there. She must've arrived just as it was turning blue…" 

Tina's voice wavered a bit, but she didn't cry this time. "I needed her more than ever that morning," Tina shook her head sadly. 

Though she didn't elaborate on why, Newt could draw his own conclusions. It was understandable that she would have needed her sister right before going abroad for the first time for several weeks. 

"I still do, if I'm being honest," Tina concluded. 

Newt waited a few seconds, but sensed the finality in Tina's voice; that was the most she was going to say on the matter for today. 

"I'm so sorry Tina," Newt held her close and kissed her forehead, "I know I can't replace your sister, but I am here for you. Anything you need from me, you need only ask."

Tina was still feeling down at dinner time, and anyway, Theseus was still under the impression that she had a cold, so when Newt told the others that he'd be bringing dinner downstairs for just himself and Tina, nobody questioned it. Tina's mood actually brightened quite a bit, as she and Newt swapped jokes and amusing tales over the meal, and just spent time enjoying each other's company. Finally, exhausted from having had such a distressing day, Tina wanted to go to bed early. 

"Can you stay with me till I fall asleep?" she asked Newt, her eyes wide and pleading. 

"You don't need to ask so tentatively, the answer is always yes," Newt kissed her lightly, "and you know where to find me if you need me in the night."

Though Tina had finally slept a full night last night, they both suspected that after today, a nightmare was likely. Newt sat next to Tina as she lay down, holding her hand with one hand, and stroking her hair with the other. Soon, she dropped off to sleep, and he went off to do the evening rounds alone. Then, he too turned in for an early night, figuring his sleep likely would be interrupted at some point. 

As they both expected, Tina did have a nightmare. Newt was used to them by now and followed the usual protocol, allowing Dougal to gently wake Tina before he approached her himself. Then, he held and kissed her for a bit, and when she was ready to let go, he prepared some tea. She fell back asleep within fifteen minutes of having the tea and slept more peacefully then. 

Newt watched her sleeping for a few minutes before returning to his cot. He knew he had to be patient. It had not even been a month since the rally. And, as Tina had explained earlier, she had been hurting over her sister for weeks before then. Only time would heal. But still, he worried. For how much longer was she going to suffer like this? Was there anything he could do to make it easier? He tossed and turned for quite awhile after getting back to bed.

The next morning, Tina seemed mostly alright, if a bit tense. "I'm just nervous about getting behind at work, since I left early yesterday," she told him. 

"Even if you did fall a bit behind, I know you'll do brilliantly," Newt tipped her back and kissed her soundly, "I believe in you!" 

She was indeed anxious about the work that would be waiting on her desk, but the real issue she worried about was whether she'd find another note addressed to her… 

She didn't. Not that day or over the next several days either. The knot in her chest lightened and she breathed easier. Her mood was once again on the way back up, and the nightmares and shell shock were going down again. 

She had gone over a week without a single episode of shell shock when another letter arrived, addressed to her, in the same handwriting as the last one. 

Perhaps it was better not to open it. Whatever was in there would only upset her. But what if there was something important in there? What if it contained a direct threat? She needed to know if there was reason for concern, even from across the Atlantic...She slit it open. Her hands trembled as she read the message. 

_ Next time, I'll have you while you're awake… I know where you live now.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger! Come back Sunday for more!


	7. Read between the lines

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The latest letter causes a serious setback for Tina. Is there anything Newt can do to help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Tina's nightmare is actually written out. It's in italic (starting after Tina goes to sleep) so you can skip it if you'd like. The second half of the chapter is pure fluff a spot of light and happiness in the midst of the darkness.

Tina's thoughts raced so wildly that this time, the ghost-hands didn't have time to take hold. 

_ Does this mean here's here? Watching me? No, he could easily figure it out from New York. There's no indication he's actually here. But why would he bother to send two letters from New York? He just wants to rattle me. I won't give him the satisfaction.  _

_ Maybe I should tell someone? Theseus? No, there's no reason to believe it's an imminent threat. Besides, I can't have Theseus involved in my personal stuff. Newt? No, Newt will go off and do something stupid, get himself hurt. Besides, if he knew I was defiled…No, he can't know!  _

_ Dammit, Goldstein, you're a fucking auror! Get it together! You don't need help with your personal drama! And if he does try to hurt you, you know you can kick his ass… Well, only as long as I'm awake… NO! No one can know. This is my battle to fight, I have to deal with it myself…  _

Tina went back to the fireplace, this time making absolutely sure Theseus was distracted. She bit her lip till it nearly bled, and willed herself not to shudder, not to sweat, and most importantly, to stay in the present. She could NOT have an incident at work, nor get herself sent home less than two weeks after the last time. 

Satisfied that this letter too was sufficiently destroyed, Tina took a bathroom break to calm herself down in total privacy. After a few minutes of deep breathing, the knot in her chest loosened, though the dread in the pit of her stomach refused to budge. She visualized her special place down in Newt's basement. She just had to get through the next two hours, two hours and she could clock out and run to her room, and then she could let loose in private. She plastered a smile on her face, and, satisfied that it wasn't too much like a grimace, she trudged back to her desk. 

At 5 o'clock, she met Newt in the lobby. The way he smiled at her, glancing shyly at her from under that messy mop of hair, never failed to make her day. She took his arm and they made their way to the disapparition point to go home together. 

Amazingly, Tina didn't feel the need to run to her space and fall apart immediately. Holding it at bay for two hours seemed to have calmed her down considerably. She felt momentarily relieved at the idea that perhaps she could control her shell shock incidents, and maybe end them for good… 

Newt noticed Tina was a little on edge, but didn't pry. He simply kept an eye in case she needed anything. They worked together with the creatures, which he knew always helped. She was a bit quiet at dinner, but thankfully did not show any signs of slipping into a shell-shocked state. Still, after Tina went to bed--normally, if a little earlier than usual-- Newt made sure to stay nearby. He had a feeling tonight was not going to be one of the better ones. 

_ "I'll be back in a bit, just a quick errand," Newt pecked her lips quickly and bounded up the stairs. Tina finished giving the kelpie his ointment. It was supposed to be a job for two, but he'd really taken to Tina and didn't mind settling down for her.  _

_ Once finished with that, she went to feed the mooncalves and check on the occamies. She heard someone on the steps. Newt must be back. "Oh, hey Newt," she turned around and soon found it wasn't Newt. Achilles' smirk loomed clear in front of her. How did he…? Oh right, he knew where she lived…  _

_ She reached for her wand, but she couldn't. She was feeling that horrid inability to coordinate her movements again. When could he possibly have… How did she manage to get drugged again? She knew, this time, that she was completely helpless, that the potion would not allow her to move the way she needed to in order to escape. She tried to scream for Newt, to call out for help as Achilles pinned her down again, but her throat wasn't working and the darkness was pulling her under again, and she knew, this time, exactly what was going to happen…  _

She woke up panting heavily. The ghost-hands were so strong this time that Tina yelled aloud, "get off me! Get your filthy hands off me! Leave me alone!" before noticing Dougal was there, paws on her shoulders, like they always were when he woke her up. 

Newt heard her yelling and came running in, though waited patiently for Dougal to be done. It took a bit longer than usual. Tina was more hysterical than he'd ever seen her, and was trembling like a leaf. And what was she yelling about? Had Grindelwald touched her in her dream? Newt shuddered at the thought. 

"Tina," he called out softly, "I just wanted to let you know I'm here, whenever you're ready for me. Just let me know."

"Please, hold me," Tina choked out between sobs. 

"Are you sure? Do you want Dougal to stay a little longer?" 

"I want you," she insisted. 

Newt sat next to her on the bed and gathered Tina close. She fiercely gripped the collar of his pajama top and buried her face in his chest. In all the times he'd held her, Newt had never felt her shaking like that. His heart broke again and again as she trembled in his arms and cried bitterly. He just kept repeating his old catchphrase for her, "I'll catch you, I've got you, Tina," because he simply didn't know what else to do. 

He wasn't sure how long they sat there like that, but it was a lot longer than usual. Pickett was so tangled up in Tina's hair, Newt worried he might have to cut him out later; both Dougal and the niffler found spots around Tina to wedge themselves into. Finally, Tina calmed down enough to ask Newt for her usual tea. 

Unfortunately, the tea did not work like it usually did. Tina could not fall back asleep. Newt stayed with her, at times holding her and kissing her, at times rubbing her shoulders and speaking soothingly to her. 

Tina kept repeating over and over again, eyes wide with terror, "he was right here! Right here, in your basement…" 

"Shhh, it's alright, dear, it was just a dream," Newt assured her each time, holding her close, "Grindelwald is far away, he can't hurt you, you're safe now, Tina…" 

Tina only managed to drop off to sleep an hour before she had to wake up for the day. Both Newt and Tina looked a mess at breakfast, with sagging, dark circles under their eyes. 

"Bad night?" Jacob asked sympathetically. They both nodded. 

"Perhaps I should give you both the day off," Theseus suggested. 

"No," Tina insisted, "well, I won't speak for Newt if he wants to take you up on it, but I'm not gonna take a day off every time I don't sleep well. I'll manage. It's not like I'm doing anything these days that requires full alertness anyway," she grumbled. 

Theseus sighed apologetically. He really did feel bad that it was taking so long to get Tina fully cleared for auror duty. 

"Well, if you really insist, I'll not stop you," he replied, "and you, Newt?" 

"Tina's right, we can't be calling in sick over a bit of a sleep deficit," Newt shrugged. 

"Alright. I'll try to at least leave you to only Beasts work today," Theseus sighed again. 

"I've got some errands to do today, I have some people interested in partially buying me out," Jacob explained, "if it works out, I still retain control and some of the profits in New York, but can open up a location over here too."

The chorus of congratulations that echoed around the table was, while not particularly cheery, sincere and genuine. 

"I promise we'll be a lot more excited when we've had a chance to rest up a bit," Newt apologized, placing a gentle hand on Jacob's shoulder. 

"No worries, pal," Jacob grinned, "besides, it's early stages yet. I'll let you know when it's really time to celebrate."

With that, Newt, Tina, and Theseus headed to the ministry. 

Despite her exhaustion, Tina was overly alert and jumpy all day long. She was particularly wound up while going through the day's mail, though she relaxed a bit when nothing came for her. Still, she continued to feel a general sense of unease. 

What if Achilles really was in London? Did he really know where she lived? Did he know she was with Newt now? Mercy Lewis, what if he tried to hurt Newt? She shook her head to rid herself of such a dreadful idea. No, he was just messing with her. She wasn't going to let him win… 

And that resolve kept her going throughout the day. And for a whole week after. Unfortunately, her resolve waned in the evenings. Though she received no more threatening letters, the anxiety and uneasiness would not leave her, and after keeping it under control at work, she was unable to hold back at home. She had several more shell shock episodes, and woke from nightmares every single night. 

Newt noticed that Tina's recovery seemed to be regressing. Despite his general opinion on worrying, well, he couldn't help but worry when it came to Tina. 

"I don't know what to do!" he told Jacob and Theseus over a round of firewhiskey one evening, "she's suffering terribly, and I just want to make it better, and I can't!" 

Jacob and Theseus both hummed sympathetically. 

"You're putting too much on yourself Newt," Jacob patted him on the shoulder, "you can't fix this on your own. Only time can heal."

"But she's hurting now! For how long-" 

"You can't put a timeline on it," Jacob said kindly, "I know-I know what it's like to love someone so much that to see her hurt wounds your own soul-" he took a moment to wipe his eyes, "but you can't make things better any faster than they're meant to take. You're doing great, Newt, she will be alright eventually, and she knows you've got her back."

"Jacob's right," said Theseus, his eyes shining with tears, "you know Leta had, well, she didn't have it easy. And I felt so helpless at times, so useless, because I couldn't just erase her pain…" he trailed off and put an arm around Newt, "but love does heal too. Keep showing Tina love. That and time will get her better. You can't erase the past, but I promise you, loving her in the present is helping, even if it doesn't seem that way."

Newt sipped his firewhiskey quietly, trying to take in what his brother and best friend were telling him. 

"I'll admit, distraction helps too," Jacob said, "maybe you should plan something nice for the two of you to do this weekend."

"Yes, a capital idea!" Theseus agreed enthusiastically. 

"Thank you, I think you're both right," Newt smiled shyly, "but I'm rubbish at this sort of thing..." 

"Come on, Newt, you know we'd never abandon you!" Jacob grinned mischievously, "we'll help you plan the perfect date."

"Oh, absolutely!" Theseus rubbed his hands with glee, "the possibilities are endless…now, it's Wednesday night, that gives us two days to plan the perfect weekend!" 

It was a good thing Newt had Theseus and Jacob to do the planning. With Tina still sleeping so poorly, Newt was too exhausted to think of much else besides helping Tina get as much rest as possible. 

On Saturday morning, Newt took care of his creatures alone, leaving Tina to sleep in. She didn't have anywhere she needed to be, and she needed the sleep badly. She was still sleeping when Newt finished up, so Jacob and Theseus took the opportunity to go over what they had planned for Newt and Tina's special date for Sunday. 

Saturday night was another difficult night for Tina, but having spent much of the day sleeping and lounging around, she at least had some reserves to handle her interrupted sleep. When Sunday came, she wasn't well-rested, but she wasn't a total wreck either. 

"Hello, my dearest," Newt greeted her with a quick kiss, "I've some special things planned for us today. Just you and me." 

"Oh?" Tina brightened up and flicked Newt's bangs playfully. 

"Now, now, you can't expect me to give away all my secrets," Newt chided gently, "but let's start with Diagon Alley. It's criminal that you've been in London over a month and not gone there yet. Even Jacob's been already!" 

"Show me the way, Mr. Scamander," Tina giggled. 

"I am honored to be able to do so with the world's most beautiful lady on my arm," Newt replied, kissing Tina's hand gallantly and then linking his arm with hers to escort her like a proper gentleman. The day was already off to a good start. 

Tina had never seen anything like Diagon Alley. In New York, wizarding shops were scattered throughout the city individually. It was hard enough hiding their entire government in one building in the middle of a major metropolis, so for security purposes, everything else was standalone. There were no major wizarding districts hidden in plain sight like London had. 

First, Newt took Tina for ice cream at Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Tina ordered a simple vanilla with fudge topping and a sprinkling of hazelnuts. Newt ordered a banana split, overflowing with marshmallow fluff and chocolate sauce and every topping in the store. 

"It's chaos, just like you!" Tina teased Newt, as he took his first bite and got marshmallow fluff on his nose. 

"I am not chaos!" Newt shot back in mock indignation. 

"Yes, you are," said Tina softly, "but it's what I like best about you," she finished off sweetly kissing the tip of his fluff covered nose. 

After their ice cream, Newt took her by Flourish and Blotts. He was still incredibly embarrassed about seeing blown up images of his own face plastered all over the display, but he knew Tina enjoyed reading, so he couldn't skip the bookshop. Like Jacob, Tina insisted that Newt stop trying to hide. 

"It's an amazing thing you've done," she kissed his cheek tenderly and squeezed his hand, "there's no reason to be so shy about it." 

Newt, at this point, was hoping and praying the shop wouldn't be filled with fawning young witches like it was last time. It still was, but having Tina on his arm at least kept them at bay. No scented handkerchiefs were thrust upon him this time. The owner smiled and winked knowingly at Newt and insisted on gifting Scamander's special witch with three books of her choosing. 

As they walked out with their package, a small crowd had formed around some street musicians. Newt and Tina wandered over to watch. Some people even ventured into the square to dance. 

Tina decided she wanted to dance too. It was such a glorious day, and she felt so light and free. She hadn't looked over her shoulder once since leaving the flat. 

"C'mmon, Newt!" she giggled tugging him toward the square. 

Newt glanced nervously around. He  _ could  _ dance, his parents had made him learn. He just didn't like to. But… This was Tina's day. So he smiled and let her tug him out there. 

The radiant smile on Tina's face made him forget they had an audience. They spun together, tapped, and jumped. Newt twirled Tina around expertly, before tipping her back and kissing her soundly just as the song ended. 

The small gathering of spectators whooped and hollered and multiple cameras went off. 

"Oh dear," Newt groaned as he righted Tina, "that's sure to make the tabloids." 

"Good, let them," Tina smirked, "maybe it'll cut down on the amount of lipstick marked fan mail you get."

"How did you know about that?" Newt's jaw dropped. 

"Theseus told me all about it," Tina grinned, "don't worry, I'm not too jealous. I'm actually kinda flattered to know that I'm the luckiest gal in all of England!" 

"You are not half as lucky a girl as I am a bloke," Newt replied, "and I'm the luckiest bloke not just in England, but in all the world!" 

Their next stop was the pet shop. Tina rolled her eyes. "Newt, you don't have enough pets already?" she teased. 

"Of course I don't," he teased back, "but actually, we're here to get a pet for you."

"Oh, Newt, you don't have to-" 

"But I want to," he cut her off with a quick kiss, "nothing makes me happier, Tina, than doing things for you and seeing you happy."

Tina kissed him back and they walked into the store. They left an hour later with a gorgeous orange kneazle kitten purring contentedly in Tina's arms. The kitten had chosen Tina, so it was clearly her special pet. 

"What do you want to name him?" Newt asked. 

"I dunno, I want to give it a few days, see what fits," Tina grinned. 

"Up to you, he's your kitten," Newt shrugged, "now, you should stow him in a comfortable pocket, as it's time for the next part of our outing." 

"Really? There's more?" 

Newt nodded with a heart-stopping smile, then lifted his arm for Tina to grab ahold of so he could disapparate them to the next part of their outing. 

They arrived at a lookout point just outside London overlooking the entire city. Newt pulled a small basket from somewhere deep inside his gray coat. The basket had some sandwiches and a small bottle of wine.

"Were it summer, I'd have taken you to a proper picnic spot for a full picnic," Newt sighed apologetically, "but it's a bit chilly for that. So I thought we could enjoy a quick lunch with a view before I show you one more thing."

"You've nothing to apologize for, this is perfect," Tina sighed into his embrace, before pulling back so that they could eat. 

When they finished, Newt placed his hands over her eyes. "Just follow my lead," he assured her, guiding her back to a small copse behind them.

He removed his hands, "you may look now," he whispered into her ear and planted a soft kiss on her temple. 

Tina opened her eyes and they grew wide with astonishment as she took in the majestic hippogriff in front of her. She had never seen one before, only read about them in Newt's book. 

"How did you-" 

"Theseus went up to visit mum yesterday and borrowed it," Newt explained. 

"Like really borrowed, with permission, or snuck it out and needs to get it back before your mom notices?" Tina raised an eyebrow. 

"No worries, he legitimately borrowed it," Newt smirked, "it was quite simple, really, he told her I was looking to impress a nice young witch, and she was all too happy to go along with it."

"Well, I must say, you have impressed me," Tina drew him in for a kiss. 

"Would you like to accompany me on a ride?" Newt asked. 

Tina looked nervously at the great beast. "Are you sure it's safe?" 

Newt took her hands in his and looked her in the eye, "do you trust me?" 

"Yes, of course I do," Tina smiled, and allowed Newt to lead her to the hippogriff. 

"Now, it's just like I laid out in the book," he explained, "direct eye contact, and bow. Then wait for him to bow back." 

Tina did exactly as instructed and watched with awe as the creature sank to its scaly knees. 

"Wonderful!" Newt exclaimed. He strode over to stroke its feathers and invited Tina to do the same. Then, he helped her mount and swung himself up behind her, bringing his arms around her waist as he took up the reins. 

"Just hold on, and I've got you over here," he assured her as they rose into the sky. 

At first, Tina squeezed her eyes shut. The sensation of a pair of wings beating beside her took a bit of getting used to. But Newt edged a bit closer to her, holding her more tightly, and kissed her neck softly, convincing her to finally open her eyes. 

Her stomach dropped a bit upon realizing how high they were, but the view of London below them was breathtaking. 

"Newt, this is amazing!" she called out, "it's the most beautiful view I've ever seen!" she turned her head back to look at Newt. 

"Yes, yes it is," he breathed out, looking at her with starry eyes, and she knew he wasn't talking about the city below them. They shared a short kiss, then Newt had to get back to paying attention to the reins. 

They flew around and around, and Tina was enchanted by the feel of the wind in her hair, the beating wings of the hippogriff, and the feel of Newt's arms around her...

After they touched down, Newt walked the hippogriff back to the copse and tied him to the tree so that Theseus could find him easily and bring him back home. 

The sun was now setting and it was time to return home. Newt and Tina shared a slow, passionate kiss, as they basked in the pink and purple of the sunset behind them. They pulled apart for a few moments to breathe, but kept their foreheads and noses touching. Then, still holding each other, they apparated back to the flat. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> According to my every other day posting schedule, next chapter should be going up Tuesday. Due to Rosh Hashanah, I will be offline until the holiday ends Tuesday night, so I WILL be posting Tuesday, but not until night time (EST time zone). Love and blessings to all for a good year!


	8. Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Newt and Tina's special date, things begin to look up for Tina. Or do they?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, warning: this chapter is where the self harm tag comes into play. It does not happen until close to the end, so you can safely read most of the chapter even if you need to skip the self harm part. It starts when Tina gets into the shower and lasts to the end of the chapter, so that would be your cue to check out if reading an active self harm scene is too much.

The couple stumbled down the stairs to the basement, so busy kissing they were barely paying attention to where they were going. Numerous clothing items were shed along the way. 

Somehow, they found themselves in Tina's bed, panting and kissing heatedly, with Tina wearing only her undergarments and Newt wearing only his boxers. It seemed they were about to take things to the next level. 

Newt hovered tentatively over Tina's breasts. "May I?" he panted out. 

"Yes," Tina breathed back. 

Newt began gently cupping her through her camisole, when suddenly, Tina stiffened. Newt noticed and stopped immediately. 

"Are you alright? Should I stop?" 

Tina was still frozen and didn't know what to say. Newt's touch was so gentle and loving, the exact opposite of the ghost-hands that plagued her every night.  _ Newt  _ was so gentle and loving! There was absolutely no reason for her not to let him touch her like that. So why couldn't she? Why was she hesitating like that?

_ Get it together, Goldstein. He's a good man. He won't hurt you. He deserves to enjoy you.  _

Tina forced a smile, "no, it's fine, Newt, go on." 

"Are you sure?" Newt hesitated, but Tina nodded enthusiastically, so he went right back to fondling her breasts. 

Within about thirty seconds, Tina stiffened again. Why couldn't she just relax and let Newt have this? She tried to ease up before Newt noticed, but it was too late. He had withdrawn his hands again. 

"It's OK Tina, if you're not ready, I can stop," he whispered against her lips, "Please, don't feel like you have to do anything you're not ready for."

Tears welled up in Tina's eyes, "I don't know if I'm not ready," she said in a wavering voice, "I definitely want to be ready, but-" 

"But you're not, and there's nothing wrong with that," Newt sat up and pulled Tina up with him, "I'm serious, Tina, I want you to be happy and to feel good. If you're not ready, I will wait however long it takes until you are," he kissed her softly. 

Newt could see that Tina was still wavering. "Tina, forgive my asking, but have you ever… Erm, how much have you done before?" 

Tina's heart raced. Even if she wanted to tell Newt about what had happened on her last night in New York, she still wasn't sure how to answer that question. After all, she was not a virgin, thanks to Achilles, but could she really say she had ever done anything? 

"Not-not very much," she finally settled on. It was true. She hadn't done anything. Things had been done to her while she was unconscious...

Newt nodded in understanding. He took Tina's hands in his and gave them an affectionate squeeze. "I mean it when I say it's up to you. It's normal to feel nervous about new things. Please, Tina," he looked at her with pleading eyes, "don't push yourself before your ready."

Tina looked down. She could see the bulge in Newt's boxers, and felt bad that she couldn't push herself to do just a little something for him. He deserved that much. She truly didn't deserve him at all… 

"Newt," she whispered, blushing fiercely, "but what about you? Your needs…you're still…" she gestured downward, unable to say the words. 

Newt lifted her chin up to bring her face to face. "That, my dear, is my problem, not yours." He kissed her softly, as if to punctuate. 

A purring orange ball suddenly popped up between them. "See?" Newt said, chuckling, "even he agrees with me. You know, perhaps we should discuss name ideas," Newt suggested while reaching for his pants. 

A few minutes later, fully dressed and straightened up, Newt and Tina stood together by the kelpie lake. Newt had his arm around her, while Tina held her kneazle, purring contentedly in her arms. 

"I think I'm gonna call him Knightly," she decided. 

"Like a knight in a castle?" Newt asked with a raised eyebrow. 

"No, he's a character in my favorite no-maj novel," Tina explained, while scratching her kneazle behind the ears, "see, me and Queenie used to switch off reading to each other every night. Jane Austen was our favorite author. Queenie liked Pride and Prejudice the best, but Emma was my favorite."

"Ah, well then, I suppose it's a good choice," Newt nodded, "though you ought to run it by him too, see if he likes it. Kneazles have a level of understanding, you know, especially when it comes to matters of trustworthiness."

"Knightly was a guy who could see right through any pretense, so I'd say it's rather fitting for a kneazle. So, what say you?" Tina glanced down at her little kitten, asking his approval. The little kneazle purred loudly, while nuzzling his head against Tina's heart. 

"I do believe he approves," Newt smiled fondly at the little kitty as well. 

"Then Knightly it is!" Tina scratched his ears affectionately, then looked up at Newt and kissed him sweetly. "Thank you, Newt, for arranging such a wonderful, special day."

Newt hummed happily and held her close to him. It had indeed been a perfect day, and seeing Tina happy was what made it so for him. 

That night, Tina lay awake in her bed, Knightly curled up asleep at her feet, awash in a mix of emotions. The day had been perfect except for that one bit where she couldn't bring herself to explore things further with Newt. 

Newt had assured her again and again that she needn't feel any pressure, that her needs mattered. He was so kind and sweet! And that was exactly why she felt guilty for not pushing herself more. She knew he was safe. She knew he wouldn't ever hurt her intentionally. How could she not give him more? He deserved it. He deserved more, deserved better than her, selfish Tina, ruined Tina… 

Meanwhile, Newt was laying on his cot going over his own mixed emotions. He was thrilled that the plan had worked and Tina had enjoyed herself so much. He worried, though, about her reaction to him telling her that he was fine with holding off on further physical milestones. He knew Tina tended to be quite hard on herself and the absolute last thing he wanted was for her to push her sexual boundaries before she was ready. He wondered where she had gotten the idea that her needs, and her enjoyment should matter less. Well, he'd just have to work harder at showing her that her needs did matter, because he loved her. 

Love. It was the first time he'd acknowledged to himself that this was love. He was completely, madly, hopelessly in love with Tina. Was she just as in love with him? He believed so, but still, the thought of saying it aloud scared him. Was she ready for that? It seemed another chat with Jacob and Theseus was in order. They'd know what he should do. And would probably help him plan another special day, to set things up right so he could tell. Yes, that's what he'd do. Newt drifted off to sleep smiling about the possibilities for explicitly telling Tina that he loved her. 

Newt woke up from a creature nuzzling him. His initial thought was Dougal, but Dougal wasn't supposed to purr… He cracked open one eye and caught a flash of orange. 

"Oh, hullo Knightly," he gave that little kneazle an affectionate ear scratch, "how's our fair lady?" 

"She's fine," Tina answered with an amused smile. 

Newt sat up rubbing his eyes and looked around, and suddenly realized he wasn't being woken up to help Tina through another nightmare, but that it was morning already. 

"Oh, you slept well then," Newt looked up hopefully at Tina, who was already dressed in her work clothes. 

"Well enough," she shrugged, "I had a bit of trouble falling asleep, but once I fell asleep, I stayed asleep. I wish every day could be like yesterday."

"Me too," Newt pecked her on the cheek as he rolled out of bed, "but if every day was special, none of them would be. Still, perhaps I can surprise you with a little something when I join you for lunch."

"Oh, Newt, don't go spoiling me now," Tina laughed. 

"It's not spoiling," Newt insisted, "it's but a poor imitation of everything you truly deserve." And with that, he drew her in for one languid kiss before heading to the bathroom to get himself ready for the day. 

The day started out as most weekdays did, with a goodbye kiss in the privacy of Newt's office, mind-numbing paperwork, and lunch with Newt. True to his word, he had brought a treat for Tina, somehow, he had managed to procure hot dogs, something Tina hadn't had since leaving New York. 

Still on a high from the previous day, Tina wasn't even nervous as mail time approached. She wasn't even thinking about the possibility that anything might be addressed to her. And so, it took her completely by surprise that she did, indeed, receive a letter. Worse, it was significantly thicker than the others had been. 

With trembling hands, Tina slit the letter. Two photographs tumbled out, that had clearly been taken yesterday while she was out with Newt. The photos were focused on Tina, though some of Newt was visible in each of them. One showed her laughing, her arm linked with his, while the other showed her twirling around in Newt's arms as they danced in the square. 

Tina fought down the rising bile in her throat, clenched her teeth, and read the accompanying note. 

_ I'm here to take you back.  _

There was no denying it this time. The pictures proved that he was nearby, and wasn't just toying with her. And it sounded like an open threat. Perhaps it was time to tell someone… No, there was no need. Newt would just go off and do something stupid, possibly getting himself hurt, and Theseus was her boss, she wasn't about to get him tangled up in a personal matter. She was an auror, dammit, she could handle this herself! She'd just have to be extra vigilant. After all, Achilles was an auror too. He could follow her around disillusioned, or use polyjuice to disguise himself. There was no end to the possibilities, so she'd just have to be on high alert. 

Tina glanced quickly at the floo grate and saw some co workers standing around chatting. Not wanting to wait to destroy everything, Tina threw everything in her wastebasket and lit it with an incendio charm. 

It worked, until a few sparks flew out and caught some other things. 

"Oh, shit!" Tina yelped, running around putting out small fires in her office. The next thing she knew, Theseus was barging into her office with his wand drawn. 

"Aguamenti!" he doused both the wastebasket and Tina, who was stomping out the last few sparks with her foot. 

"What the bloody hell is going on here?" Theseus demanded. 

"Um…" Tina shuffled awkwardly, looking at her feet, "I, uhhh, I saw a spider."

"A spider?" Theseus raised an eyebrow skeptically. 

"I really hate spiders," Tina explained sheepishly, which was totally true, and she wouldn't put it past herself to actually blast an incendio charm at one. So, she stuck by her explanation. 

"And you just lit your fucking office on fire to kill a spider?" 

"Yes. I'm sorry," she muttered, scared to look up at Theseus. 

But Theseus was grinning. "I'm not mad at you," he assured her, "but you will never live this down. Know this, Tina, my future nieces and nephews will be hearing about this incident," he chuckled. 

Tina was still too embarrassed, on top of being shaken by the latest letter, to even notice Theseus' tease about future nieces and nephews. 

"Alas, Tina, you're covered in soot. Go home and wash up, I'll let Newt know you left early," Theseus patted her on the shoulder affectionately, "and really, you need to think of a better way to handle spiders. Fucking spiders," he chuckled as he sauntered out of the room. 

Tina didn't bother arguing this time. The ghost-hands, which had spared her last night, were creeping up on her with a vengeance. A shower was definitely in order. 

Ever since that last bath in her New York apartment, Tina had been overdoing the scrubbing whenever she bathed, as if that could somehow erase the filth of what had happened with Achilles or chase the ghost-hands away for good. Today, she sobbed throughout her shower and ended up scrubbing so hard, she drew blood. 

She reached outside the shower and grabbed her wand to heal herself, but as she watched the blood trickling down her thigh and swirling down the drain, a peculiar feeling came over her, a strange compulsion. She had been hurting so much on the inside for nearly four months, and there was no end in sight. Perhaps, she could ease the pain with a physical marker, or by letting some blood out. 

She gripped her wand, and with a shaking hand, pointed it at the inside of her forearm. She made four neat horizontal cuts along her arm. She stood dazed for a moment, watching the blood run down her arm and into the tub, then made four matching cuts on her other arm. It hurt, but not nearly as much as her heart had been hurting all these months. A strange feeling washed over her, not relief, exactly, but it was a sort of unburdening of everything she'd been carrying all by herself. Watching the blood drip down her arms and slide down the drain made her feel lighter, freer. 

After several minutes, she healed the cuts up, leaving thin white scars behind. She felt a vague sense of disappointment. Those feelings of unburdening and lightness had been fleeting. Now she was left wondering what she had just done to herself, what she had just accomplished, as the familiar pain settled back in her chest. As she calmly rinsed the blood away, she desperately wished that her emotional turmoil could be just as easily rinsed off. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it's not over for Tina yet :-( I promise we're getting to a better place soon though!


	9. My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina continues to struggle. Is she ready to open up to Newt, even just a little?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The self harm in this chapter is mostly just alluded to. There is one actual scene depicting Tina cutting, but it is only a paragraph. If you want to skip it, skip the one paragraph where Tina enters the shower.

"I didn't know you were afraid of spiders," Newt chuckled when he got home and saw Tina, "but glad to see you all washed up and none the worse for the wear."

Tina forced a smile. "Oh, Theseus told you about that?" she laughed nervously, "yeah, sorry, I do have some limits when it comes to creatures."

"It's alright," Newt kissed her gently. "So many have no interest in any creatures at all. I'm glad to know anyone who generally likes them. And I'm certainly glad to have you."

"I'm glad I have you too." Tina kissed him back. For not the first time, she wondered if perhaps she should start to share her burdens with Newt. She trusted him and felt safe with him. He was completely devoted to her. He'd now seen her through two months of shell shock episodes and nightmares. 

Surely, he wouldn't think less of her if he knew the truth? And yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. What if he did go and do something reckless and stupid? And what if her being ruined was just a line too far for him? She couldn't risk it. He might not understand right now just how little she deserved him, and she wasn't about to make it more obvious. This was for her to handle on her own. 

"Tina?" Newt asked tentatively. He noticed her deep in thought and wondered if another episode was coming on. 

"Yeah, sorry, I'm fine," Tina muttered, shaking her head as if to shake away her thoughts, "let's go get some dinner."

Newt was left with the feeling that Tina had been about to share more about what had been tormenting her since Paris. Disappointed though he was that she didn't, he knew there was nothing he could do but wait until she was ready to share. 

After dinner, Tina went back downstairs, but Newt hung back to talk to Theseus. 

"Forgive my bringing it up," he started, "but did you know about Leta's brother? I mean, not the stuff we thought we knew all these years, I'm talking about the actual story she finally shared, you know, right before…" he trailed off, staring at his shoes. 

Theseus teared up and took a moment to think. "No," he whispered hoarsely, "I didn't know about that until- until you and Dumbledore told me about what happened in the tomb."

"I'm sorry," Newt put a sympathetic arm around his brother, "did you ever suspect she was holding something back, carrying her torment alone?" 

"Oh, all the time," Theseus shook his head sadly, "I knew she was tormented and I never quite knew why. I wanted so badly to know, so I could make it better…" He took a moment to wipe his eyes and steady his breathing before continuing, "You think it's something like that with Tina."

It was a statement, not a question. Newt simply nodded. 

"I can't honestly say I know what to do," Theseus patted him on the back in turn, "I mean, I didn't exactly succeed with Leta. Just--I think just keep doing what you're doing. She'll open up eventually, or perhaps not, but surely standing by her no matter what is of some comfort to her."

"I'm so sorry for bringing this up Theseus, but really, thank you," Newt hugged him. 

"I thought I told you not to apologize," Theseus ruffled his little brother's hair, just as he'd used to do when they were kids, "I'm glad to help. You have her back, and I've got both of yours. Don't ever forget that."

When Newt got back downstairs, he found Tina fast asleep on her bed with Knightly awake and standing guard. The kneazle leaped into Newt's arms and purred against his chest. This further confirmed for Newt that Tina had something to share. The little kitten seemed to know it. 

"I know, my good sir," Newt affectionately scratched little Knightly's cheeks, "and I'm glad you deem me worthy. But until she's ready to let me know about it, I trust you will look out for our fair lady. Deal?" 

Knightly nuzzled Newt for a moment, then jumped onto the bed and curled up at Tina's feet. "There's a good lad," Newt patted his head, "sleep well. Both of you."

Tina did have a nightmare, but it was not unusually bad, and Newt was able to help her fall back asleep pretty quickly. She woke in the morning rested enough and the day proceeded normally from there. 

For the rest of the week, Tina considered telling Newt everything, before yet again changing her mind. The constant back and forth exhausted her more than worrying about Achilles, which pushed her to continue cutting herself. That need to unburden herself drove her compulsion to release her own blood. It never quite worked and she always felt vaguely disappointed as she healed herself up, but she just could not stop turning her wand on herself. 

When no more letters or photos arrived, Tina dared to hope that maybe it was over. Well, at least she could hope that Achilles' threats were over. What he'd done to her back in New York would never be over, she was slowly coming to realize... 

**********

As it turned out, Achilles wasn't finished making threats. His blood simmered as he angrily paced his rented room at the Leaky Cauldron. Rage was a familiar companion as of late, ever since he'd seen Tina kissing that copper-haired British wizard, whom he now knew to be the acclaimed author and magizoologist, Newt Scamander. 

Achilles sat back down at the small desk in the room, finishing up a letter. He was letting MACUSA know that he wasn't done yet with his extended personal leave. He had enough time and favors accrued that he could take a few more months if needed. He peered angrily around at the various magazine and newspaper gossip column clippings detailing the budding love between Britain's most eligible wizard and the pretty American auror he was openly courting. 

He couldn't stand to see Tina smiling adoringly, hand-in-hand with this other man, couldn't bear to see Newt Scamander's hands on what was supposed to be his, Achilles Tolliver's, doll. No, he could not entertain the option of returning to New York alone. 

He knew Tina was rattled by his letters. He saw the way she looked over her shoulder when she was out and about, and the way Scamander hovered protectively over her. But she had not broken yet, it seemed. He was going to need to move to the next level. The next letter would go to the home she shared with the magizoologist, her boss, and that no-maj who had also somehow weaseled his way out of MACUSA's grasp. He was also going to start surveilling the home, which would be easier than the ministry, even with two aurors in residence. Achilles prepared some fresh parchment and dipped his quill again… 

********

Newt was cautiously hopeful about Tina's recovery, but he could tell that something was holding her back. Since their day out, her moods had improved and she hadn't had a single shell shock incident. The nightmares had continued, but they were the kind he was used to handling by now, nothing like that terrible night when she'd thought she'd seen Grindelwald in the basement. 

And yet, Tina seemed constantly unnerved and jumpy. Several times, Newt had caught her looking up at him, lips slightly parted as though about to speak, only to shake her head and go back to whatever she was doing. He too sometimes looked at her with the same look, the words "I love you, Tina," on the tip of his tongue, before deciding the better of it. 

"Jacob, I think I need your help," Newt pulled Jacob aside one evening after Tina went to bed, "I need to plan another special day for Tina."

"Ready to propose already?" Jacob teased. Newt blushed so hard that Jacob couldn't help but take a little pity on him. "Sorry, buddy, didn't mean to scare you there. So, what's the occasion?" 

"I want to tell her how I feel about her. That I-that I…" 

"That you love her," Jacob finished quietly for him. All Newt could do was nod. 

"You don't need a special day to tell her that, you know," Jacob said, nodding sagely, "you can tell her any time. I'm sure she'd appreciate hearing it, especially with all the heartbreak she's been through since…" both men sighed as he trailed off.

"I know, I know," Newt muttered, "it's just, I think she needs another nice day out, she still seems so fragile, and I feel like it would just be the perfect opportunity."

"I hear ya, pal," Jacob nodded, "so when would you want to-" 

"I know it's still a few weeks away, but the day we met-" 

"December sixth," Jacob sighed wistfully, "the day we all met." Then he grinned, "yeah, that's perfect! I can't forget that day either. Yeah, I'll help you. We'll make it the best damn day for you guys!" he grabbed Newt in a tight hug, which Newt returned almost as enthusiastically. 

November wore on, bringing with it the chill and mist that was to be expected in London. Jacob whipped up endless batches of cocoa every night and the lively fairytale sessions continued around a roaring fire. Tina agreed with Theseus that no-maj fairytales were horrifying, but Newt insisted on remaining neutral and defending Jacob's favorite tales. 

Tina still had not received any new letters, but had a few instances where she thought she'd seen Achilles near Sherringford Square. Each time she turned to look closer, it turned out to be someone else or no one at all. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was nearby and watching her. Feeling yet again unable to share with anyone, she unleashed everything on herself. 

Having been cutting and healing herself for several weeks now, the scars were becoming deeper and more prominent. Sometimes, she'd trace them with her fingers at night, shaking her head at her own antics, asking herself what she was thinking. Knightly, while very affectionate, seemed afraid of her forearms, as though he knew something about them wasn't right. And yet, she continued to mark herself up during every shower, for the sake of a fleeting moment of relief from the demons that were her constant companions. She also hadn't experienced any shell shock since before she'd started cutting, and so, began to believe that perhaps it was even beneficial, keeping worse things at bay. 

One weekend morning in late November, Jacob brought in the mail. Theseus was out, Newt was in the basement, and Tina was reading on the sofa. 

"Oh, hey, Teen, looks like you got some mail," Jacob tossed an envelope to her. He was already shuffling back to the kitchen and did not see the way Tina shuddered violently as her letter landed in her lap. 

"Thanks, Jacob," she said brightly, quickly running to the bathroom while clutching the letter. She had decided that was the safest place to handle this. 

Tina locked the door behind her and immediately started the shower. With the shower running, and the room filling with steam, Tina allowed herself to come undone, as terror coursed through her. There was no doubt now. She had seen him around. He was here. And he really did know where she lived. 

With trembling hands, Tina slit the letter, and read the latest taunting threat. 

_I see you with him. Maybe I can come over for coffee and show him how it's really done. _

Tina wondered yet again if perhaps it was time to let someone know. After all, the home she shared with three others was being watched. Yet, there was no direct threat against anyone but herself. Anyway, she was in too deep to drag anyone else with her. And so, she once again collected herself and methodically destroyed the letter, this time burning it in the shower for a few minutes, then allowing the shower water to put out the small fire and wash the charred remains of the parchment down the drain. 

Just as they always did during these times, the ghost-hands quickly found their way up and down Tina's body. With the shower already running, she wasted no time getting in, and desperately scrubbing them away. 

When Tina turned her wand on herself this time, she did it a little harder and deeper than usual. She winced as she healed herself, these latest cuts patching up quite poorly. Her arms were already covered in a lattice of thin, silvery scars. Now, thick, angry red lines rested atop those. But, as always happened at the end of this new ritual, Tina's breathing slowed, the blood swirled away down the drain, and the constant knot in her chest loosened for a few precious minutes. Even knowing it would settle back pretty soon, Tina told herself those few minutes of reprieve were worth a few scars. 

*********

Newt knew that Tina was still deeply wounded, but having seen no extreme reactions of late, had come to believe that things were improving. He knew he had to be patient and never pushed her to share. When she seemed wound up, he offered simple gestures, such as a hand squeeze, a warm embrace, or a tender kiss, which she was usually quite happy to accept. 

When they were home, they worked with Newt’s creatures. It was a great way to spend time together, but the creatures also offered genuine comfort for Tina, a fact that offered a measure of relief for both of them. 

Tina came downstairs, hair wet, and smelling sweet after having clearly showered. 

"You sure you want to work down here just after a shower?" Newt pulled her into his arms and twirled her around, before kissing her sweetly. 

"I am always up for working down here," she breathed against his lips, "though perhaps I should stick with the cleaner chores. It would be a shame to waste a good shower."

"I take it no kelpie wrangling today then," Newt grinned as they broke apart. 

"Do send him my regrets," Tina chuckled, "but yeah, I think I'm gonna stay away from anything wet or muddy today."

After a quick conference on how to divvy up what needed doing for the rest of the afternoon, Newt and Tina got to work. They laughed and joked, and of course found excuses to steal kisses along the way. They also sometimes just watched each other adoringly. 

Newt smiled from under his bangs as Tina fed the mooncalves, with Knightly devotedly rubbing around her ankles. His love for her just swelled in his chest, watching her devotedly care for his beloved creatures. In just over a week, he'd be telling her so too. He smiled more warmly to himself thinking of the plan he had hatched, with Jacob's help. 

As he watched the graceful lines of her lithe frame reaching into the bucket and tossing the food pellets, something caught his eye. Every time she threw another batch into the air, her sleeve slipped back, exposing a patchwork of angry looking scars. Newt did not remember ever seeing anything like that before. 

"Tina, darling, what's that on your arm?" he asked tentatively. 

He had expected Tina to brush it off like it was no big deal; after all, he had to admit he'd do the same were Tina to confront him about a new injury. What he didn't expect was for her to jump a mile, hurriedly pull her sleeve down, and glare at him before muttering that it was nothing and looking anywhere and everywhere except Newt's face. 

"Tina?" Newt's voice turned serious, and he began to approach her, "Tina, please, what is that on your arm?" 

"Just-just a little accident, nothing for you to worry about," Tina mumbled, still refusing to look Newt in the eye. 

Knightly was now hissing at Tina. Even the little kneazle knew Tina wasn't being honest about the injuries on her arm. To Newt's great surprise, Knightly suddenly jumped into his arms, and pressed himself against Newt's heart, while still hissing at Tina. Now, Newt knew something was wrong and that Tina was trying to hide the true nature of her injury. And Tina knew that Newt understood what her kitten was trying to tell him. 

With no other choice but to tell the truth about her scars, Tina slowly sat herself down on the floor and held out both her arms, trembling. Newt slowly sat down directly opposite her. She turned her head away and closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face, but resolutely held her arms out, in invitation, for Newt to examine. 

Slowly, gently, Newt rolled up Tina's sleeves, revealing a patchwork of recent-looking angry red scars, laying atop a web of slightly older, yet still recent, silvery scars. Newt bit his lip to prevent an audible gasp from escaping him. Instead, he tenderly ran his fingers over the marks, his heart breaking again and again each second, as the horrible realization dawned on him. 

"You-you've been doing this to yourself," he whispered hoarsely, as his own eyes filled with tears. It was a statement, not a question. He didn't need Tina's shaky nod to confirm it. 

"Why?" he choked out through the lump in his throat as the tears began to fall freely, "Tina, why would you hurt yourself?" 

Tina was too overwhelmed to reply. She allowed Newt to take her into his arms. She cried into his shoulder while he rocked her gently and cried into her hair. 

"Please, Tina," he whispered, "please let me in! Let me try to make it better!" 

"You-you can't!" she rasped out between sobs, "nothing can make it better! It will never go away!" she buried her face in his shoulder once more. 

"I just wish-how much longer-" 

"Oh, I'm taking too long?" Tina snapped, suddenly angry, "you've had enough? I suppose you're right. I should have been honest from the start Newt," she sighed miserably, "I'm damaged beyond repair, ruined forever, I understand if you don't want-" 

"No…" Newt interrupted, lifting her chin to look her straight in the eye, "that's not at all what I meant. I'm not going anywhere, and I want you as you are, damaged or whatever you want to call it, I still want, I… I…"

He trailed off for a moment. This was all wrong. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He'd meant to say it in a happy moment, while out together enjoying the anniversary of the day they met. Not like this, both of them crying miserably on the floor of the basement, with Tina's self-inflicted wounds taunting them. But Tina was so badly broken. Newt still had not the foggiest idea as to why, beyond the events of nearly three months ago, but right now, it didn't matter. She was so badly broken and wounded on the inside that what she needed most right now was love. Just love. 

"I love you, Tina," he said simply, honestly. 

"You do?" Tina's eyes widened incredulously.

"I do," he kissed each of her scarred forearms softly, and repeatedly, allowing his tears to fall onto them, "I love you and I wish for you to feel better because it hurts me in the deepest recesses of my soul to see you like this and to be unable to do anything about it. I love you, Tina, and I just want you to be happy. I won't pressure you to share what you do not wish to share or to simply move on from what happened in Paris. Just, please, know that I love you. And that you deserve to be loved."

Newt gazed directly into her salamander eyes, more water than fire with all those tears, and kissed her soundly. She relaxed into the kiss and melted further into his embrace. 

"I love you too, Newt," she whispered against his lips, "and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for putting you through this."

"Don't be, love," he insisted, "you've nothing to be sorry for. I've got you Tina, I'm ready to do whatever it takes to help you heal."

Tina kissed him once more. They sat there for a long time, both crying softly and just holding and kissing each other. 

Tina wasn't ready to say more, and Newt understood he mustn't push. It was enough, for now, that they had love. For the first time in nearly five months, the walls of the fortress Tina had built around herself began to shift. No, it would never go away. And she still worried about being ruined and undeserving of Newt. But she loved him, and she was now ready to let him love her, and perhaps that could mend her just enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I know you wanted her to tell all! I promise that will be happening soon! The fact that she shared one thing is a step toward helping her share everything.


	10. On the border line of the edge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Newt knows about the cutting, will Tina finally be able to open up about the rest?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From this point on, there is nothing worse than anything that's been in here until now, so if you've made it this far, you can safely read the rest.

Although Newt still didn't know what, exactly, had driven Tina to the point of injuring herself, that small allowance, letting him in just that little bit, brought them closer than ever. Declaring their love openly certainly had something to do with the stronger, more solid understanding between them, but it was also simply the fact that Tina had allowed Newt to share in the tiniest corner of her pain. 

"Stay with me, Newt?" she asked tearfully as she settled into her bed for the night. 

"You know I always stay till you're sleeping," he kissed her temple softly. 

"No, I mean, after I'm sleeping," she whispered, "the whole night." 

Newt froze for a moment, remembering how she'd been the last time they'd tried something new. 

"You want me to stay, or you want to want me to stay?" he asked pointedly. 

"I want you to stay," she said firmly, "just hold me though." 

Newt smiled as he gathered her close to him. "As you wish, love."

They settled in and got comfortable, Knightly curled up contentedly at the foot of the bed. 

"May we talk a little, before going to sleep?" Newt started. Tina shrugged, and Newt continued. "As much as I want to know what has driven you to the point of hurting yourself like that, I'll leave it to you to tell me at your own pace, whenever you feel ready to do so," he kissed her cheek tenderly, then nuzzled into her hair as she relaxed against his chest. 

"However," he continued, lifting up one of her arms to his lips and kissing it gently, over the fabric of her pajama sleeve covering the scars, "you surely can't expect me to ignore what I do know. Tina, love," his sea-green eyes were full of sadness as he looked directly at her, "we need to think of a way to help you stop."

Tina sighed, and kissed Newt's knuckles. "You're right, of course, I'm sorry you have to deal with my mess."

"Please, Tina," he cupped her cheek and stared at her fiercely, "don't apologize for struggling. I love you, and so your 'mess', as you call it, is mine too. You shouldn't have to do this alone," he kissed her soundly, to punctuate. 

Tina knew it was no use voicing aloud how undeserving she felt. Newt would only argue that she was being ridiculous. Nonetheless, she couldn't help how she felt. How did she end up with someone like Newt, who loved her so much and was so good to her? Well, she wasn't going to complain about it… 

"I'm not really sure," she told him honestly, "I don't fully understand myself… I guess maybe holding on to my wand when I go to shower should be pretty effective…" she trailed off, clearly embarrassed with herself. 

Newt's heart twisted at the thought of Tina turning her wand on herself, day after day for Merlin knows how long, in the shower, where no one would know about it… 

"Yes, of course," he hugged her tightly to his chest, "seems simple enough as a practical solution. Anything else?" 

"Just, well, this," Tina snuggled against him, "this will do, I think." 

"I'll not argue with that," Newt whispered into her hair. 

Newt was woken up a few times in the middle of the night by Tina tossing and turning. Her unhappy moans and whimpers tugged at his heart. However, being so close by, he simply wrapped his arms around her and brought her close, holding her until she relaxed. Much to his relief, she did not wake up through any of it, and he fell back asleep quickly himself. It did seem that moving into Tina's bed was a step in the right direction after all… 

By the time December sixth came, Tina had had several nights of unbroken sleep. As agreed between the two of them, she handed him her wand whenever she took a shower, so her scars got the chance to fade a bit without new ones being added. 

Tina was still jumpy and anxious a lot of the time and even when she smiled and laughed, the haunted look in her eyes never quite disappeared. But Newt knew by now that he simply had to be patient and show Tina all the love he had. 

Jacob had informed Theseus of the importance of December sixth, so even though it was a Tuesday, Theseus granted them the afternoon off. Newt couldn't help noticing the way Tina glanced over her shoulder as they stepped outside the ministry as though she feared someone might be following them. She'd done that a lot lately, and had also taken to checking the locks and protective spells at his front door several times before going to sleep each night. But, no matter. Today was about them. He tightened his arm around Tina as they walked toward the restaurant for lunch. 

After lunch, Newt brought her to a frozen pond for ice skating. 

"Newt, you do think up the loveliest things!" Tina grinned widely, looking out over the pond. 

"It's all Jacob again, I'm afraid," Newt blushed, half hiding under his bangs, "besides, I'm not much good at skating-" 

"Neither am I," Tina chuckled as she kissed his nose, "I guess we'll have to help each other, then!" 

She grabbed Newt by the wrist and pulled him over toward the pond. After transfiguring their shoes into skates, they clung tightly to each other as they slipped and slid awkwardly over the ice, laughing uproariously the whole time. 

Eventually all tired out, they flopped down together on the stubbly grass surrounding the pond. Newt now took the time to present a gift to Tina. 

"Another one?" Tina looked up at him incredulously as he withdrew a wide rectangular box from inside his coat, "Oh, Newt, you don't have to-" 

Newt cut her off with a kiss. "Please allow me to spoil you Tina," he pretended to pout, "now, go on, open it!" 

Tina opened the box and her jaw dropped and her eyes filled with happy tears as she pulled out a small silver menorah. 

"How-how did you know?" she whispered hoarsely. 

Newt smiled warmly. "Jacob explained a little to me, though you'll have to tell me more. Do you like it?" 

"I don't just like it," Tina husked out through her tears, "I feel understood. I feel…at home…" and she threw herself into Newt's arms. 

"That was, well, that was the idea," Newt explained as he held her and stroked her hair, "I know it hasn't been easy for you leaving behind your home and everything you knew, and I thought you might like to at least bring your traditions here and-" 

Tina cut him off with a kiss. "Thank you, Newt, I love you," she whispered against his lips. Newt replied with a passionate kiss of his own. 

The couple came home arm in arm, smiling, and without a care in the world. Tina didn't glance around the street before stepping inside, and didn't recheck the locks once they went inside. After dinner, everyone curled up by the fire, sipping Jacob's cocoa, as Tina shared the story of Hanukkah, although it was still nearly two weeks away, and talked about a few of the other Jewish traditions she kept. 

She and Newt held each other contentedly in bed that night, tired, but overwhelmingly happy. The generally happy mood carried them all the way into the weekend. 

*********

Saturday morning found Jacob making pancakes while Theseus slept in and Newt and Tina did the morning rounds with creatures. Tina went up for breakfast a little bit ahead of Newt, who insisted he'd only be a few minutes and that she shouldn't wait. 

Just as Tina came up, she heard the clink of the mail slot. "I've got it Jacob," she waved him off, "you stay with the pancakes." 

It appeared there was only one letter, and Tina's blood froze as she picked it up and saw the familiar scrawl of her name. Would this never end, she wondered as she hastily retreated to the bathroom to see what fright this missive would contain. 

She never got to read the words of the letter, because as she slit it open, a substance leaked out all over her hands, causing her to drop the letter. The substance burned terribly, causing Tina to shriek loudly. 

Jacob was closest, and the first one to barge into the bathroom, but Tina's screams had woken up Theseus, and Newt heard her all the way in the basement, so they were both quickly by her side as well. 

"Teen, your hands!" Jacob gasped, reaching for her quickly blistering hands. 

Newt reflexively swatted him away. "Don't touch!" he yelped, "or you'll get that on your hands too! Theseus, I'll stay with Tina, I need you to-" 

"What the hell is it?" Jacob wanted to know. 

"Bubotuber pus, looks like," Theseus quickly explained, "you were saying Newt? I imagine you have-" 

"Yes," Newt hurled out impatiently, "I'll need murtlap essence and some charmed bandages right away, in my first aid kit, first shelf in my office corner."

He then turned back to Tina, who was now whimpering in pain. He lowered her to the floor and sat down beside her so she could lay on his lap. 

"I've got you Tina, you're going to be alright," he assured her as he stroked her hair and face, "I have everything we need to take care of a Bubotuber injury."

"What's… taking… Theseus…so long…" Tina groaned. 

"I'm here!" Theseus panted, running back in with everything Newt had requested, "now let's sit you up so we can patch you up, Tina." 

Newt helped Tina up, then grabbed a basin and poured the murtlap essence inside. "Here, love, soak your hands in this for a few minutes, then Theseus will bandage them."

The relief was almost immediate as soon as Tina stuck her hands in the basin. Now that she was calm, Jacob felt comfortable asking questions. 

"Anyone care to explain what the hell a Bubotuber is?" Jacob asked. 

"It's a plant, quite fascinating really, a number of interesting-" He stopped when he noticed Jacob rolling his eyes. "Right, sorry," Newt muttered, "the important thing is, it secretes this substance that is actually quite good for the skin when properly diluted, especially treating acne and such. Unfortunately, when undiluted," he gestured sadly to Tina, and Jacob understood.

"As for how this happened," Theseus glared pointedly around the room, "well, how did this happen, Tina? Where on earth did you come across undiluted Bubotuber pus?" He was now tightly wrapping Tina's right hand in a charmed bandage while her left hand continued to soak in the basin.

"It-it was a letter," she stammered out, still in shock, "a letter addressed to me." 

Theseus' eyes narrowed. As an auror himself, he had been the target of similar attacks at times and understood. 

"Newt, look for the letter or the envelope, Tina must have dropped it in here. Careful not to touch it directly, " Theseus ordered, "I'll need that, and Tina, I need you to tell me what you know. Someone has attacked one of  _ my  _ aurors, and my de facto sister, to boot. They're not going to get away with this," he growled menacingly. 

Newt found the letter and envelope under the sink. Carefully, using one of the charmed bandages, he picked up the letter and read it. There was only one line, and as Newt read it, he thought he was going to be sick. 

_ Next time, I'll make you moan from under me.  _

He glanced over at Tina and saw Theseus bandaging her other hand, and while he couldn't hear his brother over the thumping of his own heart, he could tell he was questioning her. 

He got up to show Theseus the letter, but just then, Tina caught his eye, and subtly shook her head no. She was panicking internally about what she was going to tell Newt now, and decided that at the very least, she needed time to talk to him alone. Newt inclined his head towards the door as if to ask "downstairs?" and Tina gave a slight nod. Newt understood that she clearly preferred to discuss things with him in private before telling Theseus what she knew. Newt pocketed the letter. 

"Well, then, keep those in place, and you should heal up in a few days," Theseus reassured Tina, "Newt, have you found the letter?" 

Tina found her voice at that moment. "I-I didn't get the chance to read it before-before I dropped it," she stammered, "Please, I'd like to go read it by myself, now, before you do."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Theseus raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Tina's the one who was attacked, it should be up to her how she wants to handle this," Newt piped up in Tina's defense. 

Theseus held up his hands, "alright, just as long as you get it back to me, we'll need it for evidence." 

After nodding their agreement together, Newt put his arm protectively around Tina and led her downstairs, trying to hold his composure for just a few more minutes. 

When they got downstairs, he held it out to her, still wrapped in the scrap of bandage he had used to pick it up. His freckles stood out in stark contrast to the white of his bloodless face. 

"How certain are you that you want to read this?" his voice wavered. Tina could tell he was quite shaken by whatever the letter said. 

"Can't be worse than this," she held up her bandaged hands. 

Newt nodded, and with a shaking hand, handed the letter to Tina. "Only hold it by the bandage, love, it's still got residue," he warned her. 

Tina took the letter and read the message, eyes growing wide with terror as she took it in. Newt was already by her side, with his arms around her, by the time she dropped it and began to whimper. 

"It's OK, love," Newt tried to keep his voice steady as her wrapped his arms around her, "I won't let him hurt you, whoever he is. I'll make sure he doesn't hurt you, I promise. Do you have any idea who might have sent this?"

Tina took a deep breath and steeled herself for the conversation she knew was inevitably about to happen. She was going to have to tell Newt everything… 

"I know who sent it. He-he sent all of them," Tina choked out through the lump in her throat, then looked away from Newt as she felt him stiffen. 

"All of them?" he whispered, "you mean, there were more? What…? How…?" 

"I mean, this is the first time I got one designed to attack," Tina hurriedly explained, "but, yes, there were a few other, um, upsetting notes, I, um, I destroyed them," she muttered as she looked away from Newt again. 

"But-but why?" Newt's voice cracked, "why didn't you tell me, or Theseus? We could have-" 

"I thought I could handle it by myself!" she cried out, "I'm a fucking auror, I SHOULD be able to handle it myself, it's just a stupid-" 

"Tina, you are indeed a most capable auror, but that doesn't mean you should have handled this alone," Newt replied sternly, "being strong doesn't mean you handle danger on your own. He could have hurt you Tina! He could have hurt you and I wouldn't have known or been able to help or-" 

"HE ALREADY DID, NEWT!" Tina screamed before she could stop herself. She sat there, hands over her mouth, shocked at what she'd just revealed, as Newt ran his hands over her, checking her for more injuries. Then, in a whisper, she clarified, "you won't find any marks now, it was months ago."

Newt froze. He cupped Tina's chin and lifted her face to his, gazing into her salamander eyes, so haunted and sad. 

"Tina?" he whispered, as Tina began to shudder with sobs. 

"I'm so sorry Newt!" she wailed, "I'm sorry I didn't…I'm not who you think I am… I'm ruined, and I should have told you before…you deserve better…" 

Newt was bewildered. What on earth was she trying to say? And why did she keep going on about deserving? 

"Hush, Tina, you know my thoughts on 'deserving'," he assured her, "and I love you no matter what. There is nothing that could possibly cause me to love you less than I do-" 

"How would you know?" Tina snapped.

"Why don't you try me?" Newt shot back. 

Tina resigned herself to her fate. The time had come to open up. She knew in her heart that Newt was right, he absolutely would stand by her. But her shame, fear, and disgust of the situation still caused her to worry that perhaps he'd run for the hills. It didn't matter. He was sitting here, now, and he was going to wait until she finished. 

"It was before Paris," Tina began flatly, "the day before I was supposed to leave, in fact. I wasn't feeling well that afternoon, and Achilles--you know about him, right?" Newt nodded, and she continued, "Achilles offered to see me home. I had just ended things with him the day before and really didn't want him coming with me, but I really wasn't feeling well, so I allowed him to escort me. I knew Queenie would take care of me once I was home."

Newt listened patiently. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and held her close as she talked. 

"But he didn't take me home," Tina choked out a small sob, "he took me to his apartment instead. Begged me to get back together, but I told him no. He didn't like that…" 

Newt was beginning to seethe inside, but kept himself outwardly collected in order to let Tina continue. 

"Things are-are, well, a little hazy from there," Tina said quietly, looking down at her bandaged hands, "I remember the room spinning, and I knew I had to get out, and get away from him, but it was like, my arms and legs wouldn't work properly. I couldn't grip my wand, I couldn't walk in a straight line… When he picked me up to carry me to his room, I couldn't even fight him off, then, next thing I know, he's pinning me down, and touching me, and I was yelling at him to stop, and he wouldn't stop, the room kept spinning and…and…that was it. Everything went dark and I just can't remember a damn thing after that!" She shuddered with sobs again and melted into Newt's embrace. 

"You remember nothing?" Newt pushed past the bile rising in his throat, as he held Tina's trembling body close, "what happened? How did you just black out like that?" 

"Pretty sure it was a potion," Tina whispered hoarsely, "he must've snuck it into the coffee I had at lunch… By the time I woke up, it was the next morning…" Tina fought through her own wave of sickness, brought on just by remembering that horrible morning, "I was in his bed, and my clothes were on the floor, and I could feel where he'd-where he'd  _ been _ …" she collapsed into sobs once more, unable to speak further. 

So that was it, Newt realized, the true source of her torment all these months. Suddenly, everything made sense. The shell shock, the nightmares, even the aversion to coffee… The meeting with MACUSA, her reaction to Sleeping Beauty, the way she sometimes needed to be alone and untouched… He realized it wasn't Grindelwald she'd seen in the basement in her dream, and he understood why she had been so ambivalent about doing more than kissing… Merlin's beard, it was a wonder she let him touch her at all, after what that man, no, that monster had done to her… Raped her, because that's exactly what it was, there was no other word for it. 

Pure rage coursed through Newt, he was blinded by a white hot fury. He was going to find this Achilles Tolliver, this rapist, and he wouldn't need a wand nor even any creatures, Newt was sure he could kill him with his bare hands…but that could wait, no, right now, Tina needed him… 

"Tina, my love," he murmured quietly, allowing his own tears to fall silently into her hair, "My love…" he whispered again, not knowing what else to say. 

"Really?" she husked out, shaking her head in disbelief, "still? Even knowing…?" 

"Why on earth not?" Newt asked incredulously, "why would you think I'd love you any less over a terrible thing that happened to you?" 

"I just feel so-so dirty, ruined, and used!" Tina sobbed and buried her face in Newt's shoulder again. 

"Used, you were, and horribly so," Newt conceded, as his rage bubbled back to the surface, "but dirty? Ruined? Never! Tina, you are still you. And I love you, no matter what."

"What if-what if I could have done more? Fought harder, been more careful-" 

Newt cut her off with brief kiss. "It's not your fault, not at all," he brought both his hands to cup Tina's face and look at her directly, "listen to me, Tina, please. There was nothing more you could have done. That-that bastard was such a coward, a fucking coward, Tina, that he knew he didn't have a bloody chance at forcing himself on you as long as your full wits were about you, so he went and made sure to incapacitate you first! It is not. Your. Fault. Please, believe me, Tina!"

He stared fiercely into her eyes, and she looked back, her own fiery salamander eyes softening under his gaze. She knew it was going to be OK, that Newt was going to stand by her. But still… 

"It just hurts so much," she whispered hoarsely, "I feel like it will never go away. Sometimes I can… I still feel his hands on me…" she shuddered. 

Newt held her tight against him, his blood boiling. If he ever got his hands on this Tolliver character… 

"I've got you Tina," he whispered over and over again into her hair, his own tears once again flowing freely, "I love you, and I'm sorry I couldn't have been there for you sooner."

"It's not your fault, Newt, you could only know what I shared," Tina replied quietly, "and I was alone for so long… Queenie wasn't home when I got back, and then I had to go, and I didn't get to see her and…" overcome once more, Tina's tears spilled over. 

The thought of Tina returning to her empty apartment, of her sister being gone right when she needed her most, broke Newt's heart all over again…

"I swear to Merlin, Tina, I will never let you be alone like that again," Newt stated firmly as he continued to hold Tina, "you are not alone anymore, I've got you."

Tina looked up at him with grateful eyes, and they shared a slow, gentle kiss, their tears mingling with each other along the way. 

"Never alone, you understand?" Newt whispered against her lips, and Tina nodded before kissing him again. 

Newt didn't know how long they sat together and he didn't care. Now knowing the true source of Tina's devastation, he didn't want to ever let go of her again. And so, he sat with her, continuing to hold her, kiss her, and let her know every which way that he loved her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow! What a relief! She's finally told him, and, as we all knew, Newt is there for her all the way. Both heartbroken and sad for what his love went through, and furiously angry and ready to kill the scum who did it to her...


	11. I no longer walk alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that Newt knows the truth, he's ready to confront Achilles...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know that's not a line from the song. I adjusted it now that Tina is no longer alone. And now, get ready for the part you've really been waiting for!

Newt and Tina eventually got up to work with the creatures. With now this final wall between them removed, there was a lightness between them that hadn't existed before, even though what Tina shared had been dark and painful. There were still some practical matters to discuss. 

"We're going to need to share the letter with Theseus, he knows we have it," Newt said, inclining his head toward the stairs. 

"Yeah, I know we need to do that," Tina sighed, "but we don't have to share the… The whole story, do we?" 

"Not if you don't want to," Newt shook his head, "unless it becomes relevant." 

"That's fair," Tina agreed sadly, "I doubt it will. We've got no proof other than my word, so there's no point in bringing it up."

Newt opened his mouth to argue, but he knew she was right. There wasn't any proof, so the best they could do was get Tolliver arrested for the Bubotuber attack. The real crime would ultimately go unpunished, a fact that enraged Newt and his Hufflepuff sense of justice beyond measure. 

Tina seemed to have sensed Newt's anger. "Newt?" she squeezed his arm gently. He lifted his head to look at her. 

"Please promise me Newt," Tina said as her eyes welled up, "promise me you won't go after him. I couldn't stand for you to get hurt or arrested or-" 

"I-I'm sorry Tina, I can't make that promise," Newt shook his head, "I can promise not to do anything too reckless, but knowing what I know… Forgive me, Tina, I cannot promise you what you're asking."

Tina nodded in understanding. She had to admit, were she in his position, she wouldn't be able to make that promise either. But she didn't have to like it. 

"I won't make you promise then," she agreed, "but I will worry about you. I don't have to be happy about whatever you decide to do."

They kissed once more. Then Tina decided it was time to go upstairs to share the letter with Theseus. 

Theseus was enraged when he read the letter.  _ If he only knew the reality was a thousand times worse,  _ Newt thought. But at least they were on the same page. 

"We'll catch this bastard, and I'll make sure to throw every damn charge I can stick to him!" Theseus promised as he banged his fists on the table, "now, the more you can tell me, the sooner we can get him."

Newt had his arm around Tina's shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. 

"I know-I know who it came from," Tina started meekly, "his name is Achilles Tolliver." 

"Tolliver?" Theseus' eyes widened in surprise, "isn't he one of the blokes that came along with Graves? Shouldn't he be back in America by now?" 

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Tina shook her head, "and it's possible he went home and then came back. Or maybe he's been here this whole time. Either way, I do believe he's currently somewhere in London."

"Well, this letter is something to start on," Theseus sighed, "I hope it doesn't take too long to track him down."

"Well, I can help with the tracking," Newt offered. He whistled for the niffler, who came bounding up the stairs, and sniffed out the letter and envelope before heading back downstairs. 

Theseus chuckled for a moment, then got serious again, "every little bit helps. Now remember, even doing our best, we need to find him. It might not be so easy, especially as he's also an auror, so we need to be patient, but also safe. Tina, I don't want you going anywhere unescorted until he's caught."

Tina opened her mouth to protest, but Newt squeezed her close to him again, and she knew they both were right. She nodded resignedly in agreement. 

"And we'll need extra locking spells here at home, that ruddy bastard knows our address," Theseus added, "again, it shouldn't take too long. I doubt it'll be more than a few days."

Theseus turned out to be right about it not being so simple to capture the American auror. He did discover that Achilles Tolliver had never left London, and had, in fact, overstayed his visa (which was good news in the sense that it was another charge they could add to the list). However, it didn't bring them any closer to figuring out where in London he could be found. 

Tina was both anxious and frustrated, as she wanted the peace of mind of knowing he was off the streets. Newt was frustrated because he was ready to strangle the man. 

After Tuesday proved to be yet another fruitless day, Jacob shared the news that he had a spot for his London branch. 

"I took your advice, Newt, I'm gonna open up in the Wizarding district, that Diagon alley place," he explained over dinner, "maybe tomorrow after work, I can show you guys the place."

Everyone murmured in agreement. It would be a good distraction, and besides, with the four of them together, it seemed like a safe enough outing. 

The following afternoon, Theseus, Newt, and Tina left the ministry together and met Jacob in front of the Leaky Cauldron, as he couldn't see it without being escorted by someone magical. Once they were in Diagon Alley, Jacob was able to show them the space that was to be his London Bakery in just a few weeks. 

As he walked them through the dusty, empty space, Newt felt a tremor in his pocket, and soon, the niffler poked his snout out. Newt hung back a little behind the rest of the group. 

"Are you being a thieving little bugger, or do you think he's nearby?" Newt whispered to the fluffy little creature. The niffler jumped down, but only crept for the door, he didn't dash, indicating that he meant for Newt to follow him. 

Newt looked back at everyone else, now headed for what was to be the kitchen, and decided that the three of them were close enough that Tina should be safe if anything happened. He followed the niffler out the door and performed the gold tracking spell, just as he had in Paris. The niffler quickly picked up the trail. 

"Good boy," Newt patted the niffler's head affectionately as he stuffed him back in his pocket, "now let's go catch that fucking bastard," he muttered, allowing his rage to wash over him and propel him closer to his target. 

He soon found himself, unsurprisingly, in Knockturn alley. He saw a tall, dark haired wizard, who he recognized from the picture on the visa they had on file, exiting a shop with a brown paper bag, and caught the unmistakable American accent as the man bid the shopkeeper a good day. So there he was. The monster who had raped Tina…

"Expelliarmus! Incarcerous!" Newt yelled out, and before he knew it, Achilles found himself tied up and slumped against a wall in a dark alley, looking up into a pair of furious sea-green eyes below a mop of copper hair he knew all too well. 

**********

Back at the bakery, Jacob, Tina, and Theseus had just noticed Newt's absence. 

"Newt? Newt, where you hiding buddy?" Jacob called out. 

"This isn't funny Newt!" Theseus yelled nervously, "seriously, stop playing around, you fucking prat!" 

Tina had a bad feeling that Newt already had a head start on something she was hoping wasn't the case. 

"Theseus," she tugged at his sleeve nervously, "Theseus, I think he's gone after him!" 

"Shit," Theseus groaned, "you're probably right…" he sat down to think a moment. 

"Here's the problem, I think our best bet of finding him is to split up, but I don't want either you or Jacob alone," Theseus explained. 

"I think it's more important that Jacob isn't left alone," Tina said bluntly, "I mean, come on, I'm an auror, for Morrigan's sake!" 

"An auror with a target on her back!" Theseus retorted, "but, you're right, you can do more… Alright, listen, I want you checking the Leaky Cauldron, it's safer there. Wait in the pub if you don't find them there, we'll meet you there eventually. Jacob will come with me to Knockturn alley…" 

Tina sighed, but nodded her agreement, and the group took off in their respective directions. 

***********

Newt approached Achilles, who, despite being on the worse end of the situation, was smirking arrogantly. 

"Nice to meet you, Newt Scamander," he said in a mocking tone, "bestselling author, tamer of beasts, and a fucking thief. That's MY doll you stole!"

"Tina is not property for anyone to own!" Newt growled through gritted teeth and pointed his wand menacingly, "and I know what you did to her, you fucking bastard!" 

Remarkably, Achilles continued to smirk irreverently, even tied up at wand point. 

"Oh yeah, bitch had it coming to her," he spat bitterly, but then grinned tauntingly up at Newt, "and she was a virgin too when I took her, nice and tight." 

Newt had suspected as much, based on some things Tina had said, but hearing it confirmed, that Tina's first time was cruelly forced on her, rather than being a gentle, loving experience, further fanned the flames of his rage. 

Newt raised his wand, his eyes blazing bright green with indignation, his lips prepared to utter a spell he never thought he'd ever want to perform, let alone be able to summon the intent to make it work properly, and yet, he knew right now he had rage enough within him to do it… 

"CRU-" 

He felt a thud in his side, causing him to drop his wand, and then, a pair of hands gripping his shoulders harshly. Newt swiveled around and found himself face-to-face with Theseus, who was almost as angry as he was. 

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE?!" Theseus shook his younger brother by the shoulders as he yelled in his face, "WHAT THE FUCK, NEWT?! CRUCIATUS?! THAT'S LIFE IN FUCKING AZKABAN!" 

Newt had, by this point, regained his bearings and started struggling against Theseus' grip. 

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS SACK OF SHIT DID TO TINA?!" he yelled back in his brother's face, his usually messy hair in such disarray he looked almost deranged, "DO YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID TO TINA?!" 

"Whatever he did to her," Theseus had now lowered his voice, but was no less furious, "you still can't use an Unforgivable! You know that, Newt!" 

"He raped her, Thes!" angry tears were now flowing down Newt's face, "he fucking raped her!" 

Theseus was so shocked by the revelation that his grip on Newt slackened and the blood drained from his face. "Raped?! When… How…?" he gasped out. 

"Months ago, before she even left New York," Newt muttered, shaking his head, "I only found out about it a few days ago, when that letter…" 

Jacob, who had been hanging out in the background wondering what on earth "cruciatus" and "unforgivable curses" were, now gasped audibly. 

"Dear God," he muttered, "and we weren't home when she needed us…" 

"Jacob, please don't blame yourself," Newt tried to reassure him, then turned back to Achilles, who was still slumped against the wall, "there's only one person to blame…" 

"And as much as he deserves the cruciatus curse," Theseus grabbed Newt's shoulder and spun him back towards himself, "this shit stain is not worth the consequences to you. Besides, you won't do Tina much good getting yourself locked away for life."

Newt's anger began to recede a bit. Theseus was right, Tolliver wasn't worth the trouble of performing an Unforgivable Curse. 

"I still ain't entirely sure of what magic stuff you're talking about," Jacob piped up, "but sometimes, the no-maj way is best." He rolled up his sleeves and started cracking his knuckles. 

"I believe I must agree," Theseus nodded as he caught Jacob's meaning, "what do you say, you and I hold him in place, and Newt does the honors?" 

Newt simply nodded while rolling up his own sleeves and cracking his knuckles in preparation. 

Achilles was no longer smirking as the three enraged men approached him with their fists at the ready. Theseus and Jacob together lifted him and slammed him roughly against the wall before pinning him there. 

"She's a sister to me," Theseus hissed into Achilles' ear, "that's my sister you violated!" 

"Mine too!" Jacob snarled. 

"Tina is the love of my life," Newt growled, his face now inches away from Achilles', "and you're going to pay now, for what you did to her…"

Newt wheeled back his arm and punched Achilles square on the nose, bloodying it in just one hit. He then kneed him hard in the balls, and gave him three swift punches to the gut, followed by a sharp right hook to the jaw. Achilles was now gasping for air, and had blood streaming down his face. Newt wound up for another blow, but Theseus stopped him. 

"Sadly, we're not allowed to kill him either," Theseus spat, "so let's call it a day. Newt, take Jacob back to the Leaky Cauldron, Tina will be waiting for you there. I'll meet you all at home after I process this pile of shit."

"If you ever come near Tina again," Newt growled in Achilles' swollen and bleeding face, "I'll fucking feed you to a dragon." He kicked Achilles once more in the balls for good measure. 

Then, with one last glare at Achilles, who was still doubled over and wheezing, Newt grabbed Jacob's arm to apparate them away to where Tina was waiting. 

Tina threw herself into Newt's arms as soon as she saw him appear in the Leaky Cauldron. 

"Oh, Newt, you big idiot!" she cried, "I know you couldn't promise me anything, but I was so worried-" 

Newt cut her off with a kiss. "He won't hurt you again, I made sure of it. And I also didn't do anything that would get me into trouble. Now, let's get back home, Theseus will be meeting us there soon enough."

When Theseus returned to the flat, he shared the news with the others. 

"He's in Azkaban, safely shut away for the time being," he explained, "MACUSA will likely request a transfer back to US soil in the next few days."

Newt stood up angrily, ready to object, but Theseus kept talking before he could. "It's better this way, Newt. We don't have enough evidence for the worst of his crimes. We have the Bubotuber attack on an auror, sending a dangerous substance via post, and overstaying his visa. It won't keep him in jail long, but by sending him back, in addition to prison time, he'll lose his job for sure, plus I can permanently ban him from ever setting foot on UK soil. You're safe from him, Tina, that much is assured."

Newt sat back down and placed his arm around Tina as she rested her head contentedly on his shoulder. It seemed that it was finally over. Well, as close to over as it could be. The past couldn't be undone, but with her secret out in the open and Achilles off the streets, Tina was closer than ever to real healing. 

"I'm so sorry about what happened, Tina," Theseus patted her on the shoulder. 

"Me too," sighed Jacob, "and I'm sorry Queenie and me weren't there when you needed us."

"It's OK, guys, I know I'm gonna be alright one day," Tina assured them. She squeezed Newt's hand affectionately and smiled shyly at him. "I have Newt by my side, and the two best big brothers I never knew I needed."

"Group hug?" Theseus offered. Everyone groaned, but they let Theseus scoop them all up together, affirming that the four of them were a family, no matter what. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, I know, we all wanted Achilles to die a slow and painful death, but alas, I had to also make sure that Newt didn't get himself a life sentence in Azkaban either. That wouldn't be terribly helpful to Tina. Plus, you know just how pissed he was by the fact that he absolutely would have done the cruciatus curse had Theseus not stopped him. But at least Achilles got a well-deserved ass kicking! And I'm not ruling out the possibility of Newt making good on his threat to feed Achilles to a dragon in a sequel or something ;-)
> 
> Also, sorry for the corny ending of this chapter, but dammit, Theseus is a HUGGER as we all know, so I had to put that in somewhere!
> 
> Lastly, I'm posting the epilogue tomorrow, so do check back tomorrow for that!!


	12. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina gets the happy ending she deserves

The next several weeks brought a number of much wanted developments. As predicted, MACUSA requested that Achilles Tolliver serve out his sentence in America. The request was granted and the lifetime ban on him returning to UK soil was put into effect, which was a great source of relief to Tina. Her anxiety eased up and the nightmares decreased in both frequency and intensity. The shell shock episodes stopped entirely, as had the compulsion to cut. The dreaded ghost-hands had all but disappeared. 

A few weeks after that, just after the new year, she was finally cleared to work as an auror at the ministry. Things were also coming along nicely for Jacob's London bakery, which would be opening soon, so the foursome had a special dinner to celebrate both occasions. 

After dinner, Newt and Tina continued celebrating privately downstairs in the basement. 

"You brilliant, wonderful, beautiful witch, you! I knew you could do it!" Newt picked Tina up and twirled her around, as she laughed delightedly. He set her back down and they kissed passionately for several minutes. 

Before they knew it, things were heating up between them. This time, Newt was the one who was hesitant. 

"Are you sure you're ready for this, Tina?" he held her wrists as she began unbuttoning his shirt, "I want to be absolutely certain you feel ready to do more."

"I-I think so," Tina hesitated. 

Newt raised an eyebrow, and Tina admitted, "I want to, well, not everything yet, but I definitely want to try new, um, stuff, that's for sure. But I'm also scared, even though I know I shouldn't be." She looked sheepishly down at the floor. 

Newt knew they should talk. He'd been meaning to talk about it for a bit, but had been scared to bring it up. But now seemed as good a time as any. 

"Would you like to talk it out?" he offered, "I think perhaps we should, rather than keep starting and stopping."

"I agree," Tina nodded. 

The couple sat down on Tina's bed, and Newt gestured to Tina that she should share. 

"So, it's like I said before, I both want to and I'm scared at the same time," Tina explained, "like, I am very, well, um, I really desire you, Newt," she blushed crimson, not believing she was talking so openly about such things, "and I want to, well, I want to experience things with you. And I'm scared both because this is new and because, well…" 

She didn't need to finish the thought, as a dark cloud passed over her eyes. Newt squeezed her tight for a moment, until the feeling passed. 

"But I also don't want you to fret too much," Tina continued, "I don't want you to be forever hesitant, or worrying that maybe I'm pushing myself more than I mean to. I think I'm gonna have to push myself a little. I think."

"I was afraid to bring it up sooner because I didn't want to sound like I was asking you for anything," Newt admitted. 

"You're not, I promise," Tina hugged him tight, "I feel bad that I'm making you wait like this…"

"No, don't feel bad for a second," Newt cupped her face and looked her directly in the eyes, "after all you've been through, Tina…Please, no guilt, love." 

He kissed her soundly, then breathed against her lips, "there is no time limit. I will continue to wait for however long you need, even if we were already married…" 

Newt suddenly froze, wanting to slap himself. Had he really just mentioned marriage? And after all his trying to convince Tina that he was content to take things slow… 

Tina froze too, from disbelief at what she'd just heard. Did he just mention marriage? Was he envisioning marriage? With her? 

Finally, Tina broke the silence. "Did you just say… ?"

"I did," Newt shrugged sheepishly after a few beats, "I must admit it's been on my mind awhile. I mean, I do love you very much, and I don't see that ever changing…" 

"Is this asking, or are we just talking about it?" 

"Both, I suppose," Newt shrugged and kissed her temple, "We're talking about our future, and yes, I do hope marriage is a part of that. Do you-do you feel the same way?" 

"I do!" Tina whispered, smiling warmly at Newt, "but do you really mean that you'd wait, even after, to do, um, well, to do everything that goes with it? If I need a little longer?" 

"That's exactly what I said, Tina, and I mean it," Newt said earnestly. 

"So, um, was that a proposal? Are we engaged now?" Tina could barely hear herself over her pounding heart or the blood rushing in her ears. 

"I suppose we are. Though I can prepare a proper proposal if you'd like. And we don't have to get married until whenever you want to."

Newt and Tina smiled adoringly at each other as the reality that they'd just agreed to marry sank in. They kissed slowly and deeply. 

"I love you," Tina sighed, snuggling against Newt's chest, "and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I think I would like a proposal. And we can announce it officially at that time."

"I shall get to work on that then, love," Newt sighed happily into her hair. 

"And I want you to plan it on your own," Tina grinned cheekily, "no asking Theseus or Jacob for help." Newt looked a bit nervous at that, so she was quick to reassure him, "No need to fuss about it, I already said yes just now!" she giggled. 

"All right, fine," Newt huffed, "now, come here, you!" and he pulled her in for another passionate kiss. 

_ 6 months later _

The morning light trickled into the room through gaps in the shades, and Tina began to stir. She stiffened for a moment upon noticing that she was naked in an unfamiliar bed, and she was a bit sore… but in a good way, the kind of sore that comes with a good workout. She relaxed and smiled dreamily as it all came flooding back to her. The forearm draped gently over her belonged to her sleeping husband.  _ Husband.  _ She sure did like the sound of that! 

Newt began to stir as well. He cracked an eye open and smiled warmly as he too took in his surroundings and realized where he was. His wife was yawning and stretching right next to him.  _ Wife.  _ He could get used to that! 

"Good morning, love," he whispered in her ear, "sleep well?" 

Tina snuggled up against him. "Best I've slept in a long time," she sighed happily. 

Newt held her close and gently caressed her sides as he nuzzled into her hair. 

"And everything was good for you? You-you really did enjoy last night?" he stammered nervously. He had, of course, asked last night right after they'd finished, and she'd said yes, but he did worry about her. He always would. 

Tina rolled onto her other side to face Newt. "I do believe I made my enjoyment quite clear last night, Mr. Scamander," she chuckled, with a naughty glint in her eye, "and I'm happy to show you again if you still need reassurance."

"I suppose I could use some reassurance, then, Mrs. Scamander," Newt teased back, kissing her sloppily. 

"You know, I have a warrant for investigating you," Tina giggled, raising her hand to the sunlight to let her new ring glint. 

"Well, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have investigating me," Newt smirked. 

Tina laughed, remembering the last time he'd said that. "Who could believe, after the way we met, we'd end up, well, here?" she said in astonishment. 

"I'm as amazed as you are, my dear, but I'd rather enjoy my good fortune than wonder about it," Newt shrugged and kissed her again. 

"Are you happy, Tina?" he whispered, gathering her close. 

"I never thought such happiness was possible," Tina sighed against his lips, "now, kiss me and make me yours again, you big goof!" 

Newt was all too happy to oblige. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there you have it. Tina gets the happily ever after she deserves :-) I did leave open the possibility of filling in gaps I skipped over or even possibly a sequel, so perhaps one day, this will be a collection. But this is where it leaves off for now. Tina is happy and doing well, that's the impotent thing! 
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting and sticking with this very difficult journey! Also, special thanks to Kemara for an amazing beta job! There were so many times where I got stuck and muddled and I never would have been able to keep going if not for her.

**Author's Note:**

> I know, poor Tina 😭😭😭
> 
> Kudos and comments are my lifeblood, so please let me know what you think!
> 
> The story is already fully written and later chapters are in the final editing stages, so it's basically all ready to go. However, as it's 12 chapters, I will be posting every other day so as to keep it going a bit longer. I look forward to hearing from you all!


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